
Book .1$ I v'j io 
Copyright ]^^__ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr 



Boston's Awakening 



EDITED BY 

Rev. ARCTURUS Z. CONRAD, Ph.D., D.D. 



A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE 

GREAT BOSTON REYIVAL 

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF 

J.WILBUR CHAPMAN and CHARLES M. ALEXANDER 
January 26th to February 21st, 1909 



PUBLISHED BY 

"THE KING'S BUSINESS PUBLISHING COMPANY 
Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass. 



Copyright, 1909 ...-^X/^/ 
A. Z. CONRAD ^ '^ ^ 

1st Edition, May, 1909 
2d Edition, July, 1909 



The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass. U.S.A. 



€aA256^40 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

PART I. BOSTON'S SPIRITUAL AWAKENING . 13 
By a. Z. Conrad, D.D., Chairman 



PART II. SERMON AND SONG 51 

Sermon by Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, D.D. 

PART III. A NEWSPAPER MAN'S STORY . . .73 

PART IV. GROUPS, CHURCHES, PASTORS, 

EVANGELISTS, AND SINGERS . . 227 
POST-WORD 289 



SECOND EDITION OF "BOSTON'S AWAKENING" 

INTRODUCTION 

BY A. Z. CONRAD, D.D. 

Ten days after the first edition of ^'Boston's 
Awakening" was received, the edition was exhausted. 
Five months have passed since the conclusion of the 
great EvangeUstic Campaign, the story of which is 
told in this volume. We are far enough away to 
estimate some of its immediate results. What are 
they in the churches of Greater Boston ? 

1. An aroused church with largely increased 
membership. The accessions at the May Communion 
were unprecedented. 

2. An arrested and interested community. The 
general public exhibit a more reverent spirit and a 
greatly increased religious interest. 

3. The Great Commission, ^^Go ye into all the 
world and preach the Gospel," has received new 
emphasis and witnesses have multiplied. 

4. "Redemptive Love" as a commanding com- 
pulsion has vastly increased the zeal of Christians. 

5. The eyes of the church have been centered 
anew upon the one and only irresistible attraction. 
"I if I be lifted up will draw J ^ 

6. An attitude of hope obtains because the irre- 
versible assurance of Jesus: "Fear not, little flock, it is 
your Father's good pleasure to give you the King- 
dom," has filled the hearts of the people with courage. 



6 INTRODUCTION 

7. Attention has been directed to the great real- 
ities: Divine personality; Human accountability; 
Redemption; Eternity; Destiny. 

8. The call to service has aroused the indifferent. 
"Saved to serve," is the watchword. The investment 
of self for humanity is insisted upon. 

9. The Word of God has new meaning and a new 
place. It is being restored to its rightful place. 

10. The power of Prayer is once more emphasized, 
understood, and relied upon. Prayer as a procuring 
cause is believed in and practiced. 

11. The revival has wonderfully increased church 
loyalty. Hundreds attend the prayer meeting who 
had long neglected it. A multitude of church letters 
have been presented, establishing vital relationships. 

12. A new Spiritual Fraternity has developed. 
Denominations are closer together. Unity of pur- 
pose is perfectly apparent. 

13. The city itself has been lifted to a higher 
ethical level. Reforms have received a new support. 

14. The financial strength of the churches and 
the spirit of benevolence has immensely increased. 

Such are some of the more evident results of the 
revival. 

There has been no reaction. There will be none. 
The work was calm, deep, and sane. The Simulta- 
neous Evangelistic Campaign more than ever com- 
mends itself to consecrated Christian leaders and 

teachers. a rz n 

A. Z. Conrad. 

Boston, June 9, 1909. 




REV. J. WILBUR CIIAPMAX, D.D. 



FOREWORD 

The Boston Evangelistic Campaign gave me the 
greatest experience of my life. In all my twenty-six 
years of ministry I have never had such joy in preach- 
ing the Gospel as in the city of Boston for almost four 
weeks. All classes and conditions of people gave me 
the very best of hearing, and I had the joy of seeing 
a great host turn unto Jesus Christ and accept Him 
as their Savior. 

I am making this foreword exceedingly brief be- 
cause I do not wish to appear in this book, entitled 
'^Boston's Awakening," other than just as one of the 
evangelists, with some special responsibility resting 
upon me, of course, because of the fact that I was 
expected, with Mr. Alexander, to direct the movement. 

I would pay a tribute ,to the ministers of Boston. 
More sympathetic, earnest, consecrated men I have 
never met; to Dr. A. Z. Conrad and others associated 
with him on special committees for their wise and 
careful directions of all the details of the work; to 
my own brother, Mr. E. G. Chapman, for his inde- 
fatigable labors; for, without his assistance, I could 
accomplish little ; and to all the hosts of Christian peo- 
ple, who were instant in season and out of season, to 
push forward this mighty movement. Through time 
and into eternity I shall not forget Boston. 
Gratefully and sincerely, 







/^^ 




CHARLES M. ALEXANDER 



FOREWORD 

I TRUST that the story of the great work of God in 
Boston will be the means of cheering thousands of 
hearts and lead them to a firmer trust and a more 
consecrated service for the winning of lost people to 
Christ. Up to the present this has been the greatest 
work Dr. Chapman and I have been together in. 
We learned to know each other better and to know 
God more intimately and the wonders of His mighty 
power to save. Stories of the people led to Christ 
through the Gospel hymns will fill a great volume. 
I have never seen people more eager for the truth in 
Gospel songs than our Boston friends were. Our 
newspaper friends told us day after day that the 
whole city and the surrounding country were singing 
the hymns of the mission. For all this my heart is 
full of praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 
through whose power it was accomplished. 







I-4B'.',V/.?'.STKV:AR.T Hii\'.H.V.'.STOUGn,D.I). ;<i;V. U.N.KAULCONEr^'. 



EVANGELISTS 




RSV.M.D. SHELDON 



RSV. y.S.TCY 



.'ixT.'.J.E.THACKBR 



EVANGELISTS 



PART I 

BOSTOI^'S SPIRITUAL 
AWAKEMNG 




G,V. MEHAFFEY 

Cti'M'N.COt-i, PERSONAL WORKERS 
a USHERS 



W. H.H. BItYANT 

TREASUftER 



RBY.C.H.MOSS 
ch'm'n. music com. 



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 




EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 



PART I 
BOSTON^S SPIRITUAL AWAKENING 

BY A. Z. CONRAD, D.D., CHAIRMAN 

The City of Boston, as represented in the evangel- 
istic meetings which have just concluded, comprehends 
not only Boston proper, but suburbs and outlying 
towns reaching out to ten miles in three directions. 
The area covered includes Boston, Charlestown, Ever- 
ett, Maiden, Melrose, Melrose Highlands, West Med- 
ford, Stoneham, Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, 
•Brookline, Newton Center, Jamaica Plain, Quincy, 
Roxbury, Dorchester, South Boston, East Boston, 
Brighton, and Allston. This area includes a popula- 
tion, in round numbers, of one million people. 

Churches, representing a total membership of ap- 
proximately 120,000 persons, of the Congregational, 
Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, and Presbyterian de- 
nominations are to be found in the territory covered 
by the Simultaneous Campaign. A few churches of 
other denominations entered into the movement. The 
number of churches actually registered as constituting 
to co-operative effort was 166. 

Few cities have undergone a greater change in the 
past few years than has Boston. From a distinctively 
American city of a few years ago, homogeneous, tena- 
cious of tradition, loyal to precedent, Boston has be- 

13 



14 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

come almost a foreign city. One may hear spoken 
on the streets of Boston many languages, and the 
number of either foreign-born, or children of foreign- 
born parents, is something like 70 per cent, of the 
population. 

The suburban tide is not less significant than the 
urban tide. Old Boston, with its ancestral pride, and 
Puritan and Pilgrim ideals, has geographically dis- 
appeared. Nevertheless, the Boston of old is still 
here, its inhabitants located in various suburbs, and 
actually exercising a dominant power in the intellec- 
tual, moral and social life of the city. There is prob- 
ably not in any city in America a larger body of 
men and women who stand for the noblest and the 
best in civic, social, and spiritual life. Bostonians 
enjoy a heritage of which they are justly proud. 

The estimate placed by them on true culture is 
not only not to be despised, but worthy of emula- 
tion everywhere. 

Religiously, Boston, like other cities, has undergone 
a considerable change in its attitude toward the 
church and the spiritual activities represented by the 
church. A considerable indifference toward church 
attendance has been painfully apparent. A sense of 
religious responsibility has seemed to grow more and 
more feeble. As a corrective of these tendencies the 
church has been importuned to popularize its services. 
But the effort in this direction has not seemed to stem 
the tide outward. The church has been importuned 
to rationalize her preaching. But every added elim- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 15 

ination of the supernatural has only accentuated the 
disinterestedness of the people in the church. The 
church has been urged to institutionalize herself and 
devote her attention increasingly to the material 
interests of the people. In Boston, as elsewhere, 
where an honest effort to answer the demand has 
been made, it is perfectly apparent that this has not 
solved the problem of disinterestedness and inatten- 
tion. Indeed, it has been in this very period when 
the church has been trying all these various devices 
to stem the outward tide, that the decline in church 
attendance has been most in evidence. 

It is no secret that the intellectual atmosphere and 
attitude of Boston has been regarded as unfavorable 
to a distinctly evangelistic type of preaching and 
teaching. Furthermore, the people have rather 
prided themselves on this very fact. No man, familiar 
with the facts, can deny certain alarming tendencies, 
among the most conspicuous of which have been the 
passion for pleasure, the passion for power, and spir- 
itual inertia. It has been apparent for years to those 
seriously and profoundly interested in the betterment 
of Boston, that something more than a good school 
system for the masses, and university privileges for 
the few, together with ethical culture even of a high 
order, was necessary and even imperative. Many 
have known perfectly well that the trouble with 
Boston is exactly the same as that of other cities of 
modern times, namely, sin. These same people have 
been equally confident that the only effective remedy 



16 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

for sin is the salvation distinctly taught in the New 
Testament. Without any insistence upon old-time 
words and phrases, and with no disposition to require 
the employment of any particular method, many have 
been confident that the regeneration of the individual 
is positively the only hope of collective elevation and 
improvement. Boston has gained the reputation of 
being cold and irresponsive and it has been freely 
declared, even by men supposedly representing evan- 
gelical Christianity, that anything like a revival of 
religion would be quite impossible. Definite failure 
was predicted of any attempt to present Jesus Christ 
as the Savior of lost men and women in an evan- 
gelistic way. With a great show of learning, it has 
been declared that all these things are outgrown, 
outworn, and their introduction would be such an 
anachronism as would insure a complete collapse in 
such an undertaking. 

These, then, were the prejudices, and this the atti- 
tude that had to be met in the inauguration of an 
evangelistic campaign in Boston. Let it not be sup- 
posed, however, that the mmiber was small who 
entertained an abiding faith in the Religion of the 
Fathers, in the Gospel of Christ, and in Jesus as the 
Savior of men. 

II 

PREPARATION FOR THE REVIVAL 

In May, 1908, a little group of men, thoroughly 
convinced that the hour was ripe for an evangelistic 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 17 

movement in this city and agreeing that the Rev. Dr. 
J. Wilbur Chapman was the one man best calculated 
to take the evangelistic leadership, determined that a 
meeting should be called representing those in sym- 
pathy with the movement. As president of the 
Evangelical Alliance, it naturally devolved upon me 
to call together the pastors of Boston to consider the 
wisdom of a "Simultaneous Evangehstic Campaign." 
The call was issued, and a large number of representa- 
tive clergymen were present and were unanimous in 
the conviction that decisive action should be taken. 
It was not to be expected, in a great city like Boston, 
that there would be absolute unanimity. Accordingly, 
the invitation distinctly stated that we desired to 
meet the men in sympathy with an evangelistic 
effort. What we desired to know was this: how 
many men could be positively counted on to co- 
operate and stand loyally by the work. 

The wisdom of the method of the invitation has 
been abundantly vindicated. 

A second meeting, including the pastors of Greater 
Boston, was called, and Mr. E. G. Chapman, who is 
the brother of the evangelist. Dr. Chapman, and a 
business man of rare ability, sagaciousness, suavity, 
and effectiveness, attended this meeting, and was 
very favorably impressed with the attitude of the 
Boston pastors toward the prospective meetings. 
The pastors of every evangelical denomination were 
invited to participate. 

A large general committee was formed, and this 



18 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

committee was instructed to issue an invitation to the 
Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and Mr. Charles M. 
Alexander to assist the pastors of Boston in conduct- 
ing simultaneous evangelistic meetings in twenty cen- 
ters in and about Boston. The general committee 
organized with Rev. A. Z. Conrad, D.D., as chairman; 
W. H. H. Bryant, Esq., as treasurer, and Rev. Dun- 
can MacPhie, secretary. It was definitely agreed that 
the entire movement should be one of the churches, 
and that no ecclesiastical body, aside from the 
churches, whether ^^ Conference," '' Ministers' Meet- 
ing," ''Club," or ''Social Union," should be asked to 
take any action, as such, regarding the movement. 
While the initiative was taken thus by the ministers, 
laymen had already been invited to sit in council with 
us and become a part of the organization; to which 
they readily assented. It was immediately discovered 
that the prominent la5rmen of the churches were even 
more enthusiastic than the ministers for a gi^eat revival 
in Boston. The ministers for one hundred and fifty- 
seven churches had signified their hearty endorsement 
of the general proposition for evangelistic meetings. 
In accordance with instructions, the invitation was 
sent by the chairman to the Reverend Dr. J. Wilbur 
Chapman early in July. The invitation was not at 
first accepted because Dr. Chapman felt very keenly 
the strategic character of Boston, as related to city 
evangelism throughout the United States. It was 
later agreed by the chairman that Dr. Chapman 
should have an opportunity of personally meeting 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 19 

clergymen and laymen in Greater Boston interested 
in the movement in September. On the last of Sep- 
tember, in the Park Street church, about three hun- 
dred clergymen and laymen met Dr. Chapman. 

At this conference Dr. Chapman outlined his policy 
and purpose and invited discussion. At the conclu- 
sion of this conference, it was agreed to secure the 
signatures of all those interested in having Dr. 
Chapman come. Some three hundred and seventy- 
five signed invitations were secured from pastors 
and the most prominent laymen of the city. 

A little later Dr. Chapman desired another confer- 
ence which was held in Park Street church. The 
attendance was very large and the interest had 
wonderfully deepened. 

This conference was a most impressive one and con- 
vinced everybody interested that God was definitely 
and remarkably guiding in all deliberations, and that 
his seal of approval had already been set upon the 
steps taken. Dr. Chapman outlined anew his policy 
and purpose. He made it clear that his coming to 
Boston would have as its single object the salvation 
of men and women in this city. For a month follow- 
ing this conference, the committee was engaged in 
determining the number of churches to be definitely 
counted upon and in organizing these churches into 
groups for effective evangelistic work. In this new, 
and in most cities untried method of simultaneous 
evangelism, very naturally many difficulties presented 
themselves. In many instances churches were un- 



20 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

willing to commit themselves until they knew defi- 
nitely who the evangelist would be, and, in others, 
churches insisted upon themselves selecting the evan- 
gelists. In all these things Dr. Chapman was kindly 
considerate, and in no sense arbitrary. But, in view 
of the fact that he must personally be held respon- 
sible for results, it became evident to the committee 
that the matter of the selection of men must be left 
very largely in the hands of the evangelist. It was 
further perfectly apparent that some things must be 
accepted on faith, and that nothing was more un- 
reasonable than to select and appoint an evangelist 
for a specific group before such a group was really 
organized and conmaitted to the movement. The 
way in which God interposed, overruled, directed to 
the unifying of all forces is nothing less than marvel- 
ous. It became clear to us that the two invincible 
elements in the campaign must be Faith and Love. 
They worked wonders. The time fixed for the re- 
vival was three weeks, beginning January twenty- 
sixth and concluding February seventeenth. 

Ill 

ORGANIZATION 

The business side of the Chapman- Alexander meet- 
ings is significant. The importance of organization is 
very properly emphasized. Early in December Mr. 
Ralph C. Norton, who is on Dr. Chapman's staff to 
organize the Personal Work Department, came to Bos- 
ton and met the men and women who had been ap- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 21 

pointed for this important service. We were favored 
in having with us, for one week, Mr. E. G. Chapman, 
who wonderfully aided us in perfecting the organiza- 
tion. This organization was constituted as follows: 

1. The Boston Evangelistic Campaign Committee. 

2. The Executive Committee of Twenty-five. 

3. The Committee on Finance. 

4. Committee on Buildings. 

5. Committee on Music. 

6. Committee on Entertainment. 

7. Committee on Personal Work and Ushers. 

A full list of these committees appears elsewhere 
in this book. 

Immediately after the organization of the Finance 
Committee it determined that the financial security 
of the movement demanded an entirely different 
method than that which had been proposed. It was 
estimated that $16,000 would be required for the gen- 
eral expenses of the campaign in twenty-five centers. 
This was to include every expense except the payment 
of the evangelists themselves. In this connection it 
should be stated that there was a definite agreement 
that the compensation for the evangelists should be 
wholly in the nature of a free-will offering during the 
last three days, including the last Sunday of the cam- 
paign, and that whatever might be the amount it 
should be deemed absolutely satisfactory by the evan- 
gelists without the slightest obligation of any name 
or nature beyond the amount so given. In all the 
correspondence there was not one hint or suggestion 



22 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

as to the amount any evangelist should receive. No 
guarantee of a dollar was asked or given. 

The Finance Committee decided to undertake to 
raise approximately $10,000 in advance, and pro- 
ceeded to apportion this amount to the various 
churches, in no way as an assessment, but in the na- 
ture of a request and desire on their part to guarantee 
the fihancial success of the enterprise. Notwithstand- 
ing the fact that this was an entire change from the 
plan of a voluntary collection first proposed, the 
churches, with very few exceptions, proceeded to give 
their people an opportunity to meet the expectation 
of the Finance Committee. So far as I know, in 
every church where subscription cards were placed 
calling for dollar shares in the campaign, the amount 
received, without effort or urging, was a substantial 
increase on the amount apportioned. 

Especial mention should be made of the splendid 
work of Rev. Duncan MacPhie, the secretary of the 
committee. He devoted himself unremittingly to 
the campaign from November to the very close of 
the meetings. His services were invaluable. His 
attention to detail, his constant courtesy, and his 
untiring zeal won all hearts to him. 

We were also most fortunate in having the very 
highest class business men as chairman and treasurer. 
They opened a set of books, exactly as though begin- 
ning a great partnership business. A good book- 
keeper was employed, and everything done in the 
most business-like manner. Mr. George E. Briggs 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 23 

and Mr. W. H. H. Bryant practically devoted their 
whole time to the evangelistic business for a month. 
The services of Mr. Harold, of Philadelphia, in 
the publicity department proved to be one of the 
wisest moves of the committee. He is an expert in 
that line of work and saved the committee twice the 
amount of his salary. 

IV 

GROUPING THE CHURCHES 

Simultaneous evangelism is comparatively new. 
The task of organizing a great city with its suburbs is 
nothing less than colossal. In no city in the world 
could there be a greater variety — intellectual, social, 
and religious — than is to be found in Boston. The 
chairman immediately discovered that every section 
regarded itself as absolutely unique. 

There were churches in almost every group that 
were perfectly sure no other than a man of almost 
supernatural endowments could possibly accomplish 
anything in their section of the city. Geographical 
difficulties had to be overcome. Natural affiliations 
had to be considered. In the process of development 
there were additions and eliminations. Many subur- 
ban communities desired to be included, just as soon 
as they found that it was definitely determined to 
proceed with the great campaign. The interest con- 
tinued undiminished and unabated and steadily in- 
creased from the very moment it became clear to the 
public, as it had been to the promoters from the be- 



24 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

ginning, that the movement was fixed and inevitable. 
Care was exercised that all denominations should be 
represented on important committees. The responsi- 
bility was then placed upon the individual group to 
develop an effective organization within itself and 
prosecute the work with vigor and independence. 
Any interference with group work was studiously 
avoided. In all this, however, the sense of the unity 
of the entire movement was never lessened or lost. 
A full list of the groups, co-operating pastors, evan- 
gelists, and singers appears elsewhere in this volume. 

V 

OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN 

Appreciating the great popularity of Dr. Chapman 
and Mr. Alexander, it was feared by some that a 
large central meeting might be so dominatingly 
attractive as to interfere with the group meetings, 
notwithstanding the prominence of the men selected 
to conduct the services in the various groups. A 
large per cent, of these men are pastors of renown in 
prominent pulpits of the country. It was decided 
to give the group meetings three days' headway 
before the central meetings should be begun. 

On the evening of January 26 the first meetings of 
the campaign were held throughout the city. So care- 
ful had been the preparation and so great was the 
interest that at the very outset the meetings were 
largely attended, splendidly supported, and bore im- 
mediate fruit. Within three days the revival had 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 25 

gained full headway, and the attention of the whole 
city was focused upon the movement. 

As an indication of the immediateness of response, 
the first noonday meeting held the day after the open- 
ing of the revival, in Tremont Temple, witnessed a 
throng of people taxing an auditorium holding 3,000 
people to the utmost, and all standing room was 
taken. From that noonday meeting to the end of 
the campaign, day after day, people collected an 
hour and a half before the time of meeting in such 
throngs as to make traffic through Tremont Street 
almost impossible. Hundreds, and some days thou- 
sands, were unable to gain admittance to the Temple 
for the noonday meeting. Large overflow meetings 
were immediately arranged for in Park Street church 
and Faneuil Hall. These were continued throughout 
the entire campaign at the noonday hour. So absorb- 
ing was the interest in the great movement that it 
became the one topic of conversation throughout the 
whole city among all classes of people. 

VI 

PULPIT AND PRESS 

Sunday morning services were conducted in the 
usual way and the preaching was with few exceptions 
by the pastors of their own churches. The very first 
Sunday after the opening of the campaign the whole 
pulpit of the city seemed to have caught the spirit of 
the revival and tenderly, earnestly, eloquently ap- 



26 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

pealed to the people to avail themselves of this un- 
usual opportunity to bear witness for Jesus Christ. 
Under the spell of this united appeal, hundreds of 
men and women committed themselves unreservedly 
to the work of the Lord in a personal effort to win 
souls to Christ. The effect of this was exactly what 
might have been expected. Thousands of indifferent 
people and a multitude of those antagonistic to 
special religious service, became definitely interested, 
and from curiosity and a general disposition to go 
with the multitude, these people later found the 
way of life and in turn became aggressive Christian 
workers. 

The general public was astonished to see the secu- 
lar press of the city devoting whole pages, day after 
day, to the revival. The public press is extremely 
sensitive to public sentiment. The proprietors and 
editors of Boston's newspapers are men of intellec- 
tual acumen and high moral purpose. They imme- 
diately recognized the unusual and extraordinary 
nature of the religious activity in the city. They 
saw the inevitable benefit from a social and civic 
standpoint which must accrue from the kind of 
preaching and teaching that fell from the lips of Dr. 
Chapman and his associate evangelists. Their co- 
operation was hearty and generous. 

The Christian people of Boston discovered their 
opportunity to awaken a revival sentiment in other 
sections and purchased these papers by the thou- 
sands, sending them to all parts of the world. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 27 

Sensational exaggeration was conspicuous by its 
absence in these newspaper reports. Naturally- 
enough, emphasis was often placed upon unimpor- 
tant yet striking incidents of the campaign. But a 
wonderfully fair presentation of the situation, from 
day to day, was given by the press of the city. Whole 
pages were devoted to the revival. 

Right here let it be distinctly and emphatically 
understood that for this large space, continuing day 
by day for a whole month, was voluntary and gratu- 
itous. Not one dollar was offered or paid for these 
splendid narrative stories of the evangelistic work. 
No contract of any name or nature was entered into 
with the press of Boston. The fact is, the livest and 
best news of the entire period was the news of the 
revival, and good newspapers want news, and are 
ready to recognize what will claim the attention of 
the great public. 

As chairman of the committee, I cannot speak 
too highly or too admiringly of the painstaking 
work of the reporters, the high character of the work 
they did and their continuous courtesy and consid- 
erateness to the wishes of the evangelists and the 
committee throughout the campaign. Our indebted- 
ness to the public press of Boston is simply immeas- 
urable, and we confidently believe that in their 
report of the ^^ Great Revival" they rendered a ser- 
vice to this city immeasurably valuable. To Rev. 
Herbert S. Johnson, chairman of the Publicity Com- 
mittee, the greatest credit is due. He daily met the 



28 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

reporters and wisely communicated the information 
most needed. 

VII 

AN AROUSED AND AWAKENED CITY 

The central meeting under the leadership of Dr. 
Chapman and Mr. Alexander began Friday evening, 
January 29. These men instantly captivated and 
captured all who came within their hearing. Within 
one week after the opening of the campaign, Boston 
had become an awakened and an aroused city. Not 
a distinctly sensational element was introduced into 
any part of the work and yet the interest was nothing 
else than thrilling everywhere. The chief character- 
istic of the massive congregations assembled was the 
great calm which pervaded these assemblies, and 
out of the deeps of this calm there seemed to come 
manifestations of God and His grace which seized 
upon the hearts of the people as they hstened, spell- 
bound, to the telling and re-telling, over and over 
again, of the ^' story of Jesus." The appeals were 
directed to the understanding, and decisions were the 
result of calm, earnest deliberation. Of course, the 
affectional nature was aroused, as it must always be, 
when the sacrificial love of God is faithfully and 
fervently presented. What occurred at the central 
group meetings was repeated almost everywhere 
throughout the city in the other groups. There were 
many, many occasions when the results were out of 
all proportion to human instrumentalities, and there 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 29 

was no explanation for the way in which men and 
women, representing all classes and conditions, arose 
in response to the invitation to "come to Jesus," 
except the fact that the Holy Spirit had Himself 
taken possession of the hearts of the multitudes, and 
that in a strange, new and unusual way the living 
Christ was passing through our city. 

Each Monday a meeting of two hours' duration, 
beginning at 11 o'clock, called together the evan- 
gelists and clergymen of all the groups with as large 
a number of people as could gain admittance to the 
Temple to receive reports of what was being accom- 
plished in various parts of the city. Monday was 
thus called "good cheer day." And the day of 
good cheer it invariably was. 

Not a discordant note was struck; during the 
entire period not an adverse criticism or comment 
was given. The fact is, so persuasive, so unex- 
pectedly powerful was the work, that it fairly swept 
people from their feet and they stood by and saw 
the "Salvation of God." 

A special description of scenes and incidents will be 
found in the "Reporter's Narrative" in another sec- 
tion of this book as to the general impressions made 
by the "Flower Day," "Day of Rejoicing," and 
"Mother's Day." It is perfectly evident that these 
special services intensified the feeling that had al- 
ready come to obtain that all true evangelism concerns 
itself with the well-being, the holiness and happiness 
of humanity as such. There was a touch of Christ- 



30 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

like sympathy in the distribution of flowers and of 
material stores for the benefit of the sick, the shut-in, 
the discouraged and the disconsolate. The readiness 
with which men not allied with the church co-operated 
and contributed to make these days memorable for 
the magnitude of their contributions was noteworthy. 
Too much cannot be said in praise of the manage- 
ment of these special features of the work where 
twenty-five evangelistic meetings were simultaneously 
being conducted. The amount of detail can scarcely 
be appreciated, yet all was so wisely guided by Mr. 
E. G. Chapman and the chairmen of the various com- 
mittees that there was no evidence of friction any- 
where. One great advantage of the "special days" 
was the interest they developed on the part of the 
general public. It was extraordinary. 

VIII 
PERSONAL WORKERS AND THEIR WORK 

Dr. Chapman's method of securing a record of 
decisions is simple yet effective. There is a wide 
variety in details and a flexibility which makes pos- 
sible the most effective employment of conditions, 
circumstances, changes of spiritual atmosphere, etc., 
yet in general the method is direct, definite, and 
easily described. The "inquiry room" is scarcely 
ever employed. The appeal is made in various forms 
of expression which seem best to comport with the 
circumstances of the moment. 

Personal workers were chosen by the pastors of all 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 31 

co-operating churches supposed to be especially 
qualified to meet inquirers and assist them in reaching 
a full decision. They were carefully distributed 
throughout the auditorium where meetings were 
held. They were all supplied with cards upon which 
were printed two statements, one to meet the needs 
of those who had at one time been members of the 
church, but who had failed to keep up their Christian 
life and activity, and the other for those who were 
for the fkst time committing themselves to Christ. 
The personal workers were instructed to learn from 
those who sat near them their spiritual standing, and 
especially to urge all who had indicated an interest on 
any basis to record that interest upon the card. In 
each group these cards were sent to a central com- 
mittee, where they were carefully tabulated and then 
sent to the pastors for whose church they had indi- 
cated a preference. It was all done in a methodical, 
business-like way. It is well understood that a card 
is not a convert, but an opportunity. It furnishes 
the pastor and Christian worker with a point of con- 
tact which, carefully followed up, usually results in 
the addition of one more person to the Christian 
forces of the community. The evangelists made no 
effort to emphasize numbers. No public statements of 
the number of cards received in any of the groups 
were authorized by the ministers or the evangelists 
themselves. Ostentation and display of every nature 
was discouraged. In a clear, distinct, and perfectly 
comprehensible manner Dr. Chapman outlined to the 



32 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

converts each evening the various steps in the Chris- 
tian life essential to progress. This was true in all 
the groups. The new convert was not left to grope 
his or her way to the truth, but a clear, definite in- 
struction was given and the kindliest interest shown 
in their firm establishment in the Christian life. 

One of the most valuable features of the personal 
workers' efforts was the development of abilities in 
this direction, together with a disposition to prose- 
cute the work which gives most of the churches to- 
day a working force never before known. Many who 
supposed themselves entirely unqualified for per- 
sonal work were enthusiastic after experience had 
proven their capabilities. The changed atmosphere 
made it easy to approach people upon the subject of 
the spiritual life. Instead of being regarded as an 
intrusion, it came to be taken as a matter of course 
that an expression of interest in spiritual things 
would be a part of the general conversation. 

CLASSES OF PEOPLE INTERESTED 

The ''awakening'' in Boston was confined to no 
class, but pervaded all sections of the city and all 
classes of people. Naturally enough the published 
reports were concerned with unusual and extraordi- 
nary cases. The reformation of those who have been 
steeped in vice and crime always arrests attention. 
Conversions from those who attended the Theater 
Comique meetings were made the subject of extensive 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 33 

narrative in the public press. As a matter of fact a 
far more striking feature of the Boston revival was 
the phenomenal hold Dr. Chapman got on the edu- 
cated and highly cultivated classes. The ''quiet 
hour" meetings in the Back Bay district were not 
only largely attended, filling the spacious audito- 
riums of the Central Congregational and the Com- 
monwealth Avenue Baptist churches, but they were 
characterized by an intense earnestness and sympa- 
thetic response to the message given. When the 
revival concluded it was from these people that im- 
portuning request came to me urging an extension of 
the time and pleading for a series of services devoted 
exclusively to the Back Bay district of Boston. 

An invitation from the allied religious societies of 
Harvard University to Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alex- 
ander to conduct a service for Harvard students in 
Saunders Theater resulted in a most interesting 
meeting. At the appointed hour the theater was filled 
with students. Rev. Dr. Edward C. Moore presided 
and the mayor of Cambridge occupied a seat on the 
platform. The students heartily cheered the evan- 
gelist and singer as they advanced to the platform. 
The singing was hearty and the attention to Dr. Chap- 
man's sermon, preached from the text, ''Keep back 
thy servant from presumptuous sin," was profound. 
Many expressions of appreciation came to the chair- 
man of the committee from the students in attend- 
ance, with the regret that they had not the privilege 
of a larger participation in the general movement. 



34 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Nothing could be kindlier or more significant than 
the expressions of approbation and interest from 
clergymen and laymen not professedly of the evan- 
gelical denominations. 

Men making no profession of religion, but con- 
cerned for civic righteousness and social betterment, 
wrote approving letters to Dr. Chapman and to the 
chairman of the committee. This was the general 
attitude throughout the whole city. A greater change 
of sentiment toward evangelism, as such, could hardly 
be imagined than that which occurred in the city of 
Boston during this campaign. The kindliest words 
were spoken by people of every creed, caste and class. 

X 

CULMINATION AND CLIMAX 

The simultaneous meetings continued until the 
evening of February 17. We enjoyed a steadily rising 
tide of religious fervor and force. Nothing but the 
presence and power of the Holy Ghost could possibly 
explain what was witnessed during these weeks. 
During the concluding days clergymen and Christian 
workers from all parts of New England had collected 
in Boston to participate in the benefits and blessings 
of the revival. The theological school of Boston Uni- 
versity suspended recitations for an entire week, and 
the Newton Theological Seminary for a number of 
days, in order that students might receive the spirit- 
ual uplift and learn the secret of successful evangel- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 35 

istic work. These students aided greatly in the 
service of song and participated as personal workers. 

A notable meeting was held in the Bromfield Street 
church for ministers of the Gospel only. Here from 
four to five hundred clergymen rededicated them- 
selves to God and definitely committed themselves 
to a distinct service of soul-winning. It was a never- 
to-be-forgotten hour for all who attended. The 
service was conducted by Dr. Chapman and Mr. 
Alexander, and Dr. Chapman's sympathetic, famil- 
iar, and thoroughly inspired appeal and charge to the 
ministers present was received as a message from 
God to His servants. 

A conference of Christian workers conducted by 
Dr. Chapman was held in Park Street church the 
forenoons of the last week. The hour was spent in 
instruction in soul-winning. The people in attend- 
ance represented all the New England States. A new 
emphasis was laid upon witness-bearing and upon the 
necessity of individually leading people to Christ. 

Months before the beginning of the revival a few 
of those upon whom the responsibility of conducting 
it rested were fully convinced that a mighty awaken- 
ing was just at hand and that the revival would re- 
quire an opportunity for one great central expression 
and demonstration of the prevalency of the power of 
God. They had accordingly engaged the Mechanics 
Building, the most spacious auditorium in Boston, 
for four days following the simultaneous meetings. 
At a considerable expense a platform had been 



36 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

builded to accommodate a choir of fiften hundred. 
The judgment of the committee was fully vindicated. 
Not only was this great auditorium thronged with 
from eight to ten thousand people at the successive 
services, but literally thousands of people were turned 
away disappointed during the meetings of those four 
days. Mr. Alexander revealed his great genius in 
almost inomediately converting 2,000 people who had 
never sung together before, into an effective choir, 
conveying the Gospel message in song so powerfully 
as to make the song service almost a complete presen- 
tation of the Gospel before the evangelist began his 
discourse. Before this great multitude Dr. Chapman 
was at his best. His sermons were listened to with 
rapt attention and hundreds of people pressed forward 
in response to his invitation to accept Jesus Christ as 
their Savior. Of the Mechanics Hall meetings, one of 
the most conspicuous for its effectiveness was the last 
Sunday afternoon meeting. Probably not less than 
8,000 men were present. It was simply wonderful in 
its unity and definiteness of interest. A mighty vol- 
ume of song filled the building and then, in response 
to a quiet yet fervent appeal, hundreds of men poured 
down the aisles to the open space about the platform, 
and in response to the request of Dr. Chapman to 
give evidence to the sincerity of their decision to 
accept Christ they fell on their knees while he prayed 
that the regenerating grace of God might transform 
their lives, and that they might find acceptance at once 
with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 37 

At the concluding service Sunday evening, Febru- 
ary 21, the streets were blockaded with people for 
two hours before the opening of the building. Prob- 
ably not one-third of the great multitude waiting 
for admittance gained access to the building. The 
choir had been increased to nearly three thousand. 
The favorite songs: ^^He Will Hold Me Fast," ^^God 
Will Take Care of You," ^^Can the Lord Depend on 
You?" and many other selections sung by the choir 
alone acted as a spiritual stimulus to all. It seemed 
like a foretaste of the glory that shall be. The ser- 
mon by Dr. Chapman was definitely personal, pre- 
senting a final opportunity to accept Jesus who, in 
an unusual way, he said, was passing through this 
city. At the conclusion of the service fully 500 per- 
sonal workers came to the front to give themselves up 
in special dedication and consecration to personal 
work for Christ during the remainder of their lives. 
The last hymn sung was ^^My Anchor Holds," and 
when the strains of the great song had finally died 
away the Boston revival, as such, had passed into 
history. ^.p 

THE SECRET OF ITS POWER 

No unprejudiced person associated with this evan- 
gelistic movement will hesitate to pronounce it ex- 
traordinary. Comparisons are rarely fair. Conditions 
and circumstances change and we are never particu- 
larly advantaged by comparing a movement of this 
kind with some similar work which has preceded. 



38 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Each must be tested and measured on its own merits. 
One thing is sure, from whatever viewpoint it may 
be considered, in magnitude, in spiritual fervor, in 
religious sanity, in holy enthusiasm, in the number 
of conversions, in the developed zeal of the church, 
in the wide reach of its influence, the Boston revival 
of 1909 was nothing less than wonderful, and in 
many respects unparalleled. 

The secret of its power is not far to seek. There 
were many contributing influences. Effective prep- 
aration, thorough organization, true consecration, 
large faith, paved the way for the coming of the 
evangelist. The evangelists and the Gospel singers 
were so evidently called of God to the work in which 
they were engaged that the confidence and co-opera- 
tion of the people were immediately given. Never- 
theless, all the human elements combined could 
never explain this revival. Its power was a Divine 
power. The presence and work of the Holy Spirit was 
so manifest as to leave no question that God Almighty 
was Himself directing, controlling, empowering to 
His own glory and the blessing of humanity. Too 
much could not be said in praise of the men who 
gave the message and the singers who prepared the 
way. 

Jesus again exemplifies His own declaration con- 
cerning Himself: ^'I, if I be lifted up, will draw all 
men unto Me." The winning word from first to last 
was ''The Story of Jesus." The Gospel message, as 
given by the evangelist, was singularly free from the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 39 

criticism of anything or anybody, but unremitting in 
the denunciation of sin of every name and nature. 
Upon one point there was invariable agreement, 
namely, ^^Ye must be born again." Jesus was pre- 
sented as the hope of every soul. 

The response was just what might have been 
expected, but was vastly beyond the faith of the 
average Christian. The three points persistently 
presented were: ^' Jesus the Savior of Man," the 
^^ Bible the Word of God," ^'Prayer indispensable to 
acquaintance with God." Upon three words the 
changes were continually rung, namely, repentance, 
confession, obedience. 

XII 

ASSURANCE OF PERMANENCY 

What is the assurance that this religious awakening 
will be permanent? We answer, it is rooted in ever- 
lasting realities. It is permeated with the Eternal 
Spirit, it is inseparably linked to a Divine Person- 
ality. It is in-dwelt by a Divine life; it is extra- 
human. Its divineness is the guarantee of its 
continuance. New converts will at least average up 
to the present life of the church. God will do His 
part. It rests with the Christian church to determine 
how fully the interests of new converts will be con- 
served and how fully the newly generated power will 
be appropriated and applied, how largely the church 
herself will be permanently revitalized and thus 
equipped for her great tasks. 



40 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

We believe this revival marks a new era in the 
religious life of New England. A hundred evangel- 
istic fires have already been lighted from the Boston 
flame. They will continue to multiply. Hundreds 
of pastors will engage in pastoral evangelism, defi- 
nitely directing their energies to secure immediate 
decision for Christ. The atmosphere of redemptive 
love created by this revival will prove a congenial 
one for spiritual birth and soul growth. 

XIII 

AN APPRECIATION 

Nothing is more illusive than personality. You can- 
not define it. You cannot describe it. You cannot 
illustrate it. You can only be conscious of it. The 
Rev. D. J. Wilbur Chapman is endowed with rare 
personal qualities. His appearance is impressive. 
His facial expression is striking and telling. His man- 
ner is courteous, dignified, and commanding. He is 
sympathetic and his vibrant sympathies touch the 
hearts of his hearers. His voice is musical, appealing, 
persuasive, enjoyable. He shows marvelous tact in 
dealing with individuals and an almost phenomenal 
power of adaptation. Simplicity, directness, ear- 
nestness, assurance, and fervency characterize all 
Dr. Chapman's utterances. His preaching is thor- 
oughly constructive. It is commanding, powerful. 
He wastes no time in attacking ^^sms," but graph- 
ically portrays sin and its consequences, and with 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 41 

passionate devotion to divine ideals reveals the glory 
of the life in Christ. He holds his audiences spell- 
bound. He is always interesting. You never have a 
moment of anxiety for fear he may say something for 
which you would wish to apologize. There is such a 
wholesomeness about the man and his message that 
people are irresistibly bound to both. No evangelist 
ever so fully won the cultivated classes. He is one of 
God's noblemen. To know him is to trust and love 
him. 

Mr. Charles M. Alexander, with his beaming coun- 
tenance, which seems to reflect the very love of his 
Lord, wins the affection of the people he meets 
instantly. His ardent temperament, splendid enthu- 
siasm, whole-souled devotion, unquestioned conse- 
cration, give him a tremendous power over the 
audiences before whom he stands as music director 
and Gospel singer. He is nothing less than a genius 
in his abilities as a director. He will give power and 
pathos to the most ordinary musical composition. 
He enlists the sympathy, interest, and co-operation 
of the largest audiences and secures almost miracu- 
lous results, in presenting the Gospel message in 
song. It would be impossible to conceive of two men 
more thoroughly supplemental to each other than 
Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander. Each one needs 
the other for the largest effectiveness in his work. 

Mr. Harkness, who has for five years been with 
Mr. Alexander as his accompanist, has consecrated 
his unusual talents to Christ and is as unusual and 



42 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

noteworthy as an accompanist as Mr. Alexander is 
in the capacity of director. 

Mr. Naftzger captured all hearts by his simple, 
graceful manner, his wonderfully musical voice, as 
he sang the ^'Sparrow Song," '^Memories of Mother," 
and many other selections. As the special soloist 
for Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander, Mr. Naftzger 
greatly strengthens the services. 

Mrs. Goodson, Dr. Chapman's daughter, again and 
again lifted the great audiences to the very highest 
point of spiritual exhaltation by her singing. Her 
sweetness of tone and distinctness of enunciation, 
and the deep spiritual purpose manifest in all she 
did, combined to make her a great favorite. Her 
consecrated talent was used of God to bring many 
to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

XIV 

SUCCESS 

Measured from any standpoint the revival has been 
a phenomenal success. Any one who would testify 
otherwise would reveal either ignorance or perversity. 
It has been successfully financed. For the first time 
in the history of evangelical movements in Boston, 
no appeal was made to wealthy individuals. The 
churches financed the campaign. The preliminary 
fund secured as a result of apportionment, together 
with the contributions at the evangelistic meetings, 
met all obligations and left a balance of about eight 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 43 

thousand dollars which was appropriated to evangel- 
istic summer tent work and hospital visitation. It 
was estimated at the outset that the actual expenses 
of the campaign, independent of the free-will offer- 
ings to the evangelists, would be about $16,000. 
Notwithstanding the fact that the work was greatly 
extended, the total cost, including Mechanics Build- 
ing, was approximately $20,000. 

Considered in bulk, this looks like a considerable 
sum of money, but when measured relatively the 
amount is absolutely insignificant. The number of 
church members of all the evangelical denominations 
represented in the area covered by this evangelistic 
movement is approximately 120,000. This would 
make the actual expense of this great simultaneous 
campaign about 16 cents per member. 

In any city where the pastors are dead in earnest 
for a revival, the matter of expense need not stand in 
the way one minute. Without strain or pressure, if 
the congregations of evangelical churches in any city 
in America are given a fair opportunity in a sensible 
business-like way, two-thirds of the money for a 
three weeks' evangelistic campaign can be raised at 
a single Sunday morning service in advance. Fur- 
thermore, it is to be remembered that a considerable 
portion of the money so given is contributed by 
people awakened during the revival, and who other- 
wise would be giving nothing to the cause of Chris- 
tianity. The very poorest church in the community 
is not impoverished, but enriched by bearing its part 



44 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

of the expense of such a movement. Churches in 
debt or in process of building cannot make a wiser 
investment than by contributing to the expense of a 
simultaneous evangelistic campaign. 

If we consider success from the standpoint of con- 
verts, then our success was magnificent. Hundreds 
and hundreds of men and women are entering into 
the membership of our churches. One church has 
reported over 200 candidates for membership; one 
received 114 members the first communion service 
after the meetings. In practically all the co-opera- 
ting churches from 25 to 100 persons have already 
been received into membership. And what shall we 
say of the thousands whose spiritual zeal has been 
renewed, and of other thousands who will surely 
commit themselves to Christ and the church as a 
result of those days of awakening. 

The chm-ch of Christ must address herself more 
definitely to her soul-saving work. The changing 
years do not change the need of salvation by faith in 
Jesus Christ. Nothing will permanently hold the 
church to the fulfilment of her sublime duties and 
the realization of Christ's ideal for her but the preach- 
ing of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 

There is a place for the consecrated evangelist. 
The need of revivals is as great to-day as it ever was, 
and the reasons for their encouragement are not less 
urgent than in any period of the past. Instead of 
being outgrown, true revivals of religion will be 
more in evidence than ever. During the decade just 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 45 

before us the world will witness revival movements 
more colossal than any since the day of Pentecost. 



RESOLUTIONS 

Resolutions adopted by the co-operating pastors 
and committees connected with the Simultaneous 
Evangelistic Campaign of Boston, Monday, Febru- 
ary 22, 1909: 

The Chapman-Alexander Evangelistic Campaign 
having concluded, we who have co-operated in the 
movement desire to place on record our sincere con- 
victions regarding its results. 

We rejoice and thank God for the manifest pres- 
ence and power of the Divine Spirit guiding and 
ruling in all of our preparations and deliberations, 
and especially for His evident direction of the mes- 
sages from the lips of the evangelists, and the convict- 
ing and converting grace so marvelously exhibited. 

Boston has been thoroughly awakened. Thou- 
sands have been brought to God. The whole Chris- 
tian church has been reinvigorated. What has 
been wrought in the hearts and homes cannot be 
tabulated or registered and will never be known 
until the Books of Heaven are opened. 

We desire to gratefully acknowledge the consistent, 
earnest, faithful work of all of the evangelists who 
have labored among us. 

To Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and Mr. Charles M. 
Alexander, who have led the movement, we extend 



46 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

our heartiest " God bless you." We assure them 
of our heartfelt and unqualified approval of the noble, 
Christ-like way in which they have conducted this 
series of meetings. Both the manner and the matter 
of the message has won all hearts. Christian cour- 
tesy, gracious dignity, and whole-souled earnestness 
have marked all they have done in our city. 

We now assure Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander 
of our abiding interest in the '^Around the World 
Evangelistic Tour," which they are about to under- 
take. We will follow them in our prayers and our 
sympathy. We commend them with our unreserved 
endorsement of their purposes, plans, and message 
to the Christian people of the world. 

To Mr. E. G. Chapman we desire to convey our 
recognition and appreciation of his exceptional busi- 
ness ability and the efficient manner in which he has 
managed the business affairs of this great Simulta- 
neous Campaign. To his patient and unwearying 
labors we are indebted for the quiet, harmonious, 
and effective working of the machinery indispensable 
to the success of this great enterprise. 

To Mr. John H. Converse, of Philadelphia, and to 
the Evangelistic Committee of the Presbyterian 
Church of the United States, we send our greetings 
and congratulations, together with our appreciation 
for what they have done to make possible the great 
blessings we have experienced by exceptional gifts to 
evangelistic work. 

We thus set our seal of approbation, commendation. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 47 

and appreciation of Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander 
and rejoice in their zeal and wisdom in God's work. 

We fm*thermore set our seal of endorsement heart- 
ily and enthusiastically on the Simultaneous Cam- 
paign method of evangelizing our cities. 

May God in His grace and mercy continue with 
these His servants, wherever they go, and may He 
richly bless us in our efforts to continue the work 
here begun. 




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PART II 

SERMOJST Al^D SO^G 

ANOTHER MILE 



PART II 

SERMON AND SONG 
ANOTHER MILE 

SERMON BY REV. J. WILBUR CHAPMAN, D.D. 

^'And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go 
with him twain y — Matthew v. 41. 

The Sermon on the Mount is incomparably great, 
if, indeed, you can speak of any message of Jesus in 
terms of comparison. There never has been any- 
thing Hke it since it was spoken, and I am sure that 
we are quite safe in saying that there never was any- 
thing hke it before its utterance. It is great in its 
preacher. He came to speak to the world the great- 
est truths of God, and yet they were couched in such 
familiar language and brightened up with such per- 
fect illustrations that the dullest in His company 
understood His message. Little children heard him 
gladly and the wayfaring man, though a fool, had no 
occasion to err concerning the truth. 

We know something of the effect of His words upon 
the people from the statement made in the 7th chapter 
of Matthew and the 28th and 29th verses: '^And it 
came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the 
people were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught 
them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." 

51 



62 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

PRACTICAL 

It was great in its practical teaching. All of it may 
be lived. I am quite familiar with that interpretation 
of this sermon which makes it the code of the coming 
Kingdom of our Lord, and am also familiar with the 
statement that when the Kingdom is ushered in in all 
its power and fulness that the truths here presented 
will control all those who are the subjects of the King- 
dom and of the King ; but at the same time I am per- 
suaded that it would be possible for us, with the help 
of Christ, to live, day by day, the great principles 
which He here lays down, and I am also persuaded 
that li\dng these principles our lives would be keyed 
to the music of Heaven and all with whom we came 
in contact would be impressed with the power of our 
Christian profession and with the beauty of His char- 
acter who has become the inspiration of our lives. 

POWERFUL 

It is great also in its power to live. The sermons 
of men grow old. Not so this Sermon on the Mount. 
I felt quite inclined recently to commit to memory 
the sermon preached years ago by Edwards entitled, 
''Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." It seemed 
to me that the truth which he then presented was 
to-day a neglected truth, and that we needed to be 
warned concerning the sinfulness of sin, and I am 
still of this opinion, but when I began to try to com- 
mit to memory the message of this mighty preacher, 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 53 

I was soon convinced that the sermon in itself, while 
its truth was still great, was in its expression and 
vocabulary not for this generation. Again I say, 
the sermons of men grow old and pass out of date; 
not so the sermons of Jesus. It seems as if it had 
been preached but yesterday, and one can quite 
imagine, as he sits studying it, that he is himself 
upon the mountain-side at the feet of the great 
teacher, and is listening to Him speak the Beatitudes, 
which, as Joseph Parker says, are like little wicket 
gates into the kingdom, and so arranged that if you 
pass through one, somehow you have gone through 
them all. This sermon throbs with life as no other 
sermon the world has ever heard, but there are some 
special reasons why I should say it was a great sermon. 

We wait for conventional places in which we may 
preach; some of us must have a church before we can 
do our best, and stand behind a pulpit, in order that 
our message may be well delivered. Jesus was not 
such a preacher. Wherever there was a sky there was 
a roof; wherever there was an individual in need there 
was an audience. Wherever human hearts called 
for help He was always near, and the wonderful thing 
about Him is that He always spoke the right word at 
the right time, and men went on their way rejoicing. 

After His spoken words were ended it should not 
be forgotten that the Sermon on the Mount was fol- 
lowed by words of mercy. In the 8th chapter of Mat- 
thew and the first three verses we read: ^^And when 
He was come down from the mountain, great multi- 



54 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

tudes followed Him. And behold, there came a leper 
and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, 
thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth His 
hand and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean, 
and immediately his leprosy was cleansed." 

You will doubtless remember that in the Old Testa- 
ment times the garments of glory and beauty worn by 
the High Priest had a peculiar adornment on the hem 
of the robe; there was a golden bell and a pomegran- 
ate, then a golden bell and a pomegranate, until 
golden bell and pomegranate met and the adornment 
was completed; and as the High Priest moved to and 
fro the golden bells chimed their sweetest music and 
the people understood that their reconciliation with 
God was being made complete. It should be noticed, 
however, that in this adornment there was as much 
fruit as sound, and this beautifully illustrates the 
ministry of Jesus. He was a mighty preacher, but 
He descends from the mountain-side and turns away 
from those who have listened to Him that He may 
heal a leper. No wonder people heard him gladly. 
They were weary of the Scribes, they were tired of 
the formality of the teachers of the day, they had 
been fed long enough upon the husks, and they were 
quick to detect in His message the word of life. 
What Jesus said may be set in every language that 
has been spoken. Not so the words of other men. It 
is said that there are tongues into which you cannot 
drive Milton and that there are languages to which 
Shakespeare is a stranger, but the words of Jesus go 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 55 

everywhere and fit themselves into all languages 
with perfect ease. If the Beatitudes are the little 
wicket gates into the Kingdom, then which is yours? 
Joseph Parker has said: ^^Mine is hunger, for I find 
myself," he said, "hungering day after day for 
righteousness." To my mind, however, the Beatitudes 
are like rounds in a golden ladder reaching upward. 
The first is poverty of spirit, and this is as it should 
be, for one never takes a step up until first of all he 
takes a step down. He must come to the end of 
himself before he appreciates God. The last round of 
the ladder is persecution, and this is as it should be. 
There is not much persecution at the bottom of the 
ladder. It is only as we rise higher and higher in 
Christ that we are apt to meet with opposition. 
Jesus told His disciples this: "Marvel not if the world 
hate you; it hated Me before it hated you." It 
should not be forgotten that they who are to enjoy 
the blessing of the Beatitudes are not the mighty nor 
the rich nor the noble; they may if they will, yet 
they are not specified, but the enjoyments and priv- 
ileges are for the poor in spirit, they that mourn, 
they that hunger and thirst, they that are merciful 
and the peacemakers, so there is a chance for us all. 

INFLUENCE 

This sermon is great in its influence. It touches 
every part of our lives. Have you noticed that its 
admonitions are given regarding those who have 
active influence? The salt and the lights are used as 



56 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

figures, and for those who have a passive influence 
the city set upon a hill is an illustration. The 
sacredness of the Word of God is presented. ^'Who- 
soever therefore shall break one of these least com- 
mandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called 
the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whosoever 
shall do and teach them the same shall be called 
great in the Kingdom of Heaven." — Matthew v. 19. 

Sin is set before us not only as an open violation 
of the law, but anger without cause is murder and 
the look of lust is adultery. 

There are suggestions here as to giving: ^'Take 
heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be 
seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your 
Father which is in Heaven." — Matthew vi. 1. 

There are hints as to praying. ^'But when ye 
pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for 
they think that they shall be heard for their much 
speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for 
your Father knoweth what things ye have need of 
before ye ask him." — Matthew vi. 7-8. 

There are warnings as to criticisms. God pity the 
Christian who is harsh and severe. ''Judge not that 
ye be not judged." — Matthew vii. 1. 

THE HEART OF THE SERMON 

It is all superb, but I like best of all those words 
which are found in the 5th chapter of Matthew and 
the 38th to the 42d verses, inclusive: "Ye have heard 
that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 57 

for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not 
evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right 
cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man 
shall sue thee at law and take away thy coat, let him 
have the cloak also. And whosoever shall compel 
thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him 
that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of 
thee turn not thou away." I believe that this truth 
may be practiced literally. It is said that George 
Muller lived according to the principles of the Ser- 
mon on the Mount. We may set it before us as an 
ideal and with the help of God we may surely attain 
unto it, but of course this presupposes the new birth. 
I would not by any means suggest that if one simply 
lived a kindly, generous, loving life, modeled as closely 
as possible after the Sermon on the Mount, that he is 
of necessity acceptable to God. As a matter of fact 
we cannot live this truth except we be born again. 

Riding through the woods of northern Wisconsin 
some time ago a friend of mine asked me to estimate 
the height of a great tree. I failed in my estimation 
miserably, and then he informed me that it was 125 
feet high and at the same time said that the woods 
had been culled, that is the salable and marketable 
trees had been taken away, and I said: ^^What is the 
matter with this one?" He said to me: ''Let your 
eyes run up to the top and you will see a dead limb. 
Wherever that is to be seen it is a clear indication 
that the tree is decayed at the heart." 

So if you are constantly doing unkind things, giv- 



58 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

ing away at the same point to petty sins or to greater 
transgressions, it is one of the clearest indications 
that your heart is not right in the sight of God; on 
the other hand, if you are constantly doing generous 
things, day by day growing in grace, it may be an 
indication that you have already accepted Jesus 
Christ as your Savior and your life. However, let 
me say again, that in order that we may live lives 
pleasing to Him we must be born again. 

THE SECOND MILE 

The text is a striking passage of Scripture and is 
full of meaning. The proper interpretation of it 
and the practical living of it would revolutionize 
every Christian life. 

It is said that in the olden days it was the custom, 
if one was traveling through a strange country, and 
did not know his way, if he should meet along the way 
one who may have been going in the opposite direc- 
tion, and knew the country, it was possible for the 
stranger to stop the one he met on his journey and 
compel him to become his courier. The law made it 
obligatory for the man who knew the way to lay 
down his burden, to turn aside from his own journey, 
however imperative it may have been, and go with 
the stranger just one mile. At the end of that one 
mile he could stop and could not be compelled to go 
one foot farther. Jesus must have had this in mind 
and so among other things said to His disciples: 
''Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 59 

him the second mile." The first mile was law, the 
second grace; the first mile you are compelled to go, 
the second mile you choose of your own accord to 
travel, and it is this second-mile Christianity which 
the world needs to-day, and second-mile living which 
would compel weary pilgrims to turn their faces 
Christward, who is Himself always the inspiration 
and example of the second mile. 

OVERFLOWING LIVES 

The fact that you are a Christian may not of neces- 
sity prove that you have power. It is only when 
your life overflows that power is in your possession. 
The valley of the Nile is a fruitful valley, not because 
the Nile flows through it, but because the Nile over- 
flows in it. The world is sighing for this spirit of 
the second mile, which is the spirit of love, and this 
Jesus was constantly presenting to His disciples. 

One of my friends, Mr. E. 0. Excell, has recently 
written the following poem and set it to music. To 
my mind, it must awaken a responsive chord in 
many a heart : 

"Do you know the world is dying 

For a little bit of love? 
Everywhere we hear their sighing 

For a little bit of love. 
For the love that rights a wrong 
Fills the heart with hope and song, 
They have waited, oh so long, 

For a little bit of love. 

"From the poor of every city, 
For a little bit of love, 
Hands are reaching out in pity, 



60 BOSTONS AWAKENING 

For a little bit of love. 
Some have burdens hard to bear, 
Some have sorrows we should share, 
Shall they falter and despair 

For a little bit of love? 

" Down before their idols falling, 

For a little bit of love, 
Many souls in vain are calling 

For a little bit of love. 
If they die in sin and shame, 
Some one surely is to blame 
For not going in His name 

With a little bit of love. 

" While the souls of men are dying 

For a little bit of love, 
While the children, too, are crying 

For a little bit of love. 
Stand no longer idly by. 
You can help them if you try; 
Go then, saying, Here am I 

With a little bit of love." 

The second mile is the spirit of Jesus. In Ephe- 
sians, the 3d chapter and the 20th verse, we read: 
^'Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abun- 
dantly above all that we ask or think, according to 
the power that worketh in us." I know of no better 
illustration of His spirit. He is able to do, that is 
the law of His nature and is like the first mile, but 
He is able to do abundantly, yea more. He is able 
to do exceedingly abundantly, beyond this He is 
able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we 
ask, and then as if to exhaust language we read: 
"He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all 
that we ask or even think." 

It is the practice of Jesus. He fed the multitudes. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 61 

This was the law of His nature. He is always help- 
ing those who are in distress and relieving those who 
are in embarrassment, but the second-mile spirit is 
seen in the fact that He commanded them to sit 
down, for He would have them comfortable. 

One of my dear friends, now in glory, who used 
always to see the fine things in the Bible which a 
woman's faith permits her to behold and which 
sometimes a man's shortness of vision hides from 
him, said to me one day: '^Have you ever noticed 
that He commanded them to sit down in ranks of 
fifty?" and she said: ^^It is as if Jesus had looked 
over the multitude and said : ^ Fifty of you must know 
each other, sit down together and eat,'" and whether 
this be the correct interpretation of this passage or 
not, it is the correct interpretation of His nature. 

He saved Zaccheus. It is His nature to save. He 
came into the world to seek and save, and to have 
saved one man would have been, in our judgment, 
quite enough, but Jesus commands Zaccheus to de- 
scend from the sycamore tree, goes with him to his 
own house and gives the second-mile treatment 
when He says: ^'This day is salvation come to your 
household." He walks with the men to Emmaus 
and opens up unto them the Scriptures, explaining 
the things concerning Himself. This was like the 
first mile and the law of His nature, but He will not 
leave them without the second mile; He sits down to 
eat with them and blesses them. Whoever came to 
Jesus for just one blessing and departed with one? 



62 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Not one of us. It has been true from the very first 
that when we sought Him we received more than we 
could ask and even think. We came for pardon and 
found peace, with peace came justification, with jus- 
tification came adoption, and with adoption all the 
blessings of the children of God. Jesus' treatment 
of us is always in the spirit of the second mile. 

" You ask me how I gave my heart to Christ? 
I do not know; 

For all the work was His, not mine to show. 
He came below, 

And in His love divine He suffered, died, 
And shed from out His sacred, wounded side, 
By blood and water sealed, baptismal grace. 
In which — by faith — He bade me see His face. 
I do not know; 'tis He alone can tell you how; 
I only know He loved me first, I love Him now." 

This is love and this is like the second mile; be- 
cause of it my own heart is on fire, and I can but 
believe that the world is waiting for the experience of 
second-mile living. This spirit of which I am speak- 
ing and this love I am upholding would solve every 
problem of the present day. People in all condi- 
tions of society recognize the importance of law and 
the necessity for its enforcement. It is the second 
mile they long for. Difficulties between capital and 
labor would soon be settled on this basis. 

PRACTICAL LIVING 

Lord Shaftsbury wanted to help the poor of Lon- 
don. His spirit was right, but his fine raiment and 
evident marks of refinement were as a barrier between 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 63 

him and the lost. Then he became a costermonger 
and came nearer to them. One day a man apphed 
for membership in a London church and gave the 
story of his conversion. ^'I was standing," he said, 
^^ under the shadow of St. Paul's at midnight, a 
broken-hearted man. I had fallen again and again, 
when the Earl put his hand upon my shoulder and 
said: 'Don't be discouraged, Jack, you will be a 
man yet,' 'and, sir,' said he, 'that nerved me with a 
new hope and led me to Christ.' " 

Count Leo Tolstoi stood one day upon the corner 
of a street in a Russian city when a beggar ap- 
proached him and asked him for aid. The great 
Russian said: "My brother, I would willingly give 
it, but I have nothing." The beggar went on his 
way rejoicing. When one of his friends said: "You 
received nothing from him, why rejoice?" "But," 
he said, "he called me brother." That is the sec- 
ond mile, and for it the world waits. 

Problems in our home may easily be settled on this 
basis. Children recognize the necessity for disci- 
pline. They have no regard for the home without it, 
but their little hearts long for the second mile. 

One of my friends tells of two mothers, equally 
busy each with a little girl. One morning the child 
of one of them came into her presence when she was 
very much occupied and said: "Please, mother, give 
me a needle and thread, a piece of cloth, and your 
scissors and your thimble." Impatiently the mother 
said: "For what?" and she answered: "To make 



64 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

my doll a dress," and the mother sharply replied: 
'^I have no time, run away; you ought not to bother 
me. I will not give you these things/' and the child 
goes out with the seed of bitterness in her heart, 
which, alas, develops only too rapidly, and when she 
grows to womanhood people look at her and say: 
''She is exactly like her mother, just as impatient, 
just as fault-finding." 

The other child comes into the presence of an 
equally occupied mother, asks for a needle and 
thread, cloth, scissors, and thimble, and the mother 
finds it a delight to turn from her work to lay these 
things in the hands of her child, and when she has 
done so she has the opportunity to say to her little 
girl: "If I could only say a word this morning that 
would turn your attention towards Christ, who is 
the secret of the joy of my life, I would be so happy," 
and the child goes out with a song and says: ''If 
ever there was an angel it is my mother," and she 
grows up and people say: "She is exactly like her 
mother, the same sweet, gentle disposition." This 
is the spirit of the second mile. The practice of it 
would revolutionize every home. 

It is what the church needs to-day. Men are 
brought to Christ not so much by sermons, certainly 
not by songs, but by the spirit of love in the preacher 
and his people and by the evident presence of Christ 
in the lives of those with whom he may casually 
worship. Going the first mile counts for almost 
nothing, going the second will invariably win out. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 65 

The practice of it is the secret of power in the Sun- 
day-school teaching and work. 

A New York Sunday-school superintendent urged 
his teachers to bring new scholars with them the next 
Sunday, and as he walked down Sixth Avenue at- 
tempted himself to win a street boy. ^'Will you go 
to Sunday-school?'^ he said, and in the vernacular 
of the street, the boy said, ^^Nope." The superin- 
tendent said: ^'We have picture papers for every 
boy," and he would not come. ''We have music, we 
have everything to make you have a good time," 
and the boy steadily refused. Disappointed, the 
superintendent turned away, and when he had 
gone a short distance he heard the patter of little 
feet behind him and turning back he saw the boy. He 
said, with an earnest, eager look: ''Mister, are you 
there?" and the superintendent said: "Yes, I am 
there." "Well," he said, "next Sunday I'll be there." 
And he was. Sunday-school papers, music, and other 
attractions of school were simply the first mile, the 
spirit of the superintendent was the second mile, 
and was an influence the boy could not shake off. 

Some time ago there appeared in a magazine the 
statement that Christianity was a failure. In the 
next issue it was said: "This is not true, for it has 
never been tried." I wonder if this could be said of 
any of us. I am persuaded that all we need to do to 
win the lost is to live in such a way as to reveal the 
spirit of Jesus. Of course, this presupposes a union 
with Him by faith, and to live in the spirit of Jesus 



m BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

is only another way to say that we must live in the 
spirit of the second mile. 

Some little time ago there came to me in my mail 
a card which was headed, ^^ Victory." It is so 
saturated with the spirit of the ^'Second Mile," and 
has been so helpful to so many people, that it is given 
here in full. Some of my friends have said that 
these '^Victory Cards" have been put up in prom- 
inent places in their homes and have always been 
most helpful in their influence. 

"VICTORY." 

— 2 Cor. xi. 14. 
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at 
naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or the 
oversight That is Victory. 

John xiii. 26-30; 2 Tim. iv. 16-18. 

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are 
crossed, your taste offended, your advice disregarded, your 
opinions ridiculed, and you take it all in patient and loving 
silence That is Victory. 

John viii. 48-50: 2 Tim. iv. 16-18; I Peter ii. 20-21. 

When you can bear with any discord, any irregularity and 
impunctuality, any annoyance — and are content with any 
food, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any 
interruption That is Victory. 

Phil. iv. 11-13; Heb. xi. 3-11; Acts xxvii. 21-25; 2 Cor. iv. 8-10. 

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or 
to record your own good works, or to itch after commendation, 
when you can truly "love to be unknown" That is Victory, 
Gal. ii. 20; vi. 14. 

What if we could live as this card indicates! He 
would have a heart of stone who would turn away 
from the Savior, who could be such an inspiration. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 67 

I am confident that should we live as is here sug- 
gested, every one would become a soul-winner, the 
churches would be enlarged in their membership, 
and the whole world made better. 

When I had spoken along this line at a gathering 
of Christian students in the East, the Rev. James M. 
Gray, D.D., slipped into my hand a little card, on 
which he had written the following: 

"If one bid thee go a mile, 
Go with him the second mile, 
Let not duty set thy pace, 
Christian love keeps step with grace. 

"It is thus with Jesus' love. 
Love all other loves above, 
Jesus fills our cup and more, 
Fills it till it runneth o'er. 

"Love like this in you and me 
Setting us at liberty, 
Freeing us from self and sin. 
Lost and dying souls would win. 

"Ah, my brother, will it pay? 
At Christ's judgment seat some day 
It will have been worth our while 
To have gone the second mile." 



6S 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 



He Will Hold Me Fast. 



* Tbj right band shall hold me."— Fa&iif cxxxlx, 10. 



ASA R. Habbhshon. 



ROBBBT HaASKBSS. 



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1. When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; 

2. I could nev- er keep my hold, He must hold . me fast; 

3. I am pre-cious in His sight, He will hold me fast; 

4. He'll not let my soul be lost, Christ will hold me fast; 



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When the tempt-er would pre - vail. He can hold me fast....M 

For my love is oft - en cold> He must hold me fast....„ 

Those He saves are His de - Ugh^ He will hold me fast 

Bought by Him at such a cost, He will bold me fast 

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bold me fast> hold me fast; 





C.B.GOOI>V/lN 



DIRECTORS OF MUSIC 




FRANK DICKSON , „ ^ 

^V.W. WEAVER. C.F. HARRIS 



DIRECTORS OF MUSIC 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 



69 



Alexander Revival Hymn 

Don't Stop Praying. 



lt.R.W 




Don't stop praying! the Lord is nigh ; Don't stop praying* b« U bear yoor cry ; 
Doii'i stop praying fur ev - 'ry need, Don't stop praying! the Lord will heed; 
Don't stop pmyitig when led to sin; Don't stop praying that guod may win; 
Don't stop praying whea bow'd wilh gnef ; Don't stop praying! you'll get le-lief ; 
Doa't stop praying but have more trust ; Don't stop praying! for pray we must ■ 



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God has promised, and he is tme 

Nu pe - ti- tion to him is small 

Christ was tempted and understands 

Troubl&s nev er es-cape God's sight 



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, Don't stop praying! h":*'!! answer you. 

; Doo't stop praying! he'll give you ail. 
Don'tstop praying! he'll hold yourhanda 
Don't stop praying! he'll make it right. 



Faith will ban-isb a mount of care; Don'tstop praying! God answers prayer. 






Word* and Music coprfghied 1906 by 
CHARLES M ALEXANDER, 
intcnialional Copyright Secured. 



r-t-^-P^f 



I was standing at a bank counter in Liverpool. England, waiting for a 
clerk to come. 1 picked up a pen and began to print on a blotter in large let* 
lers, two words, which had gripped me like a vice : " PRAY THROUGH." 
I kept talking to a friend and printing until 1 had the big blotter filled from top 
to bottom with a column. I transacted my business and went away. The 
next day my friend came to see me. and said he had a striking story to tell me. 
A business man came into the bank soon after we had gone. He had grown 
discouraged with business troubles. He started to transact some business with 
the same clerk over that blotter, when his eye caught the long column of 
"PRAY THROUGH." He asked who wrote those words, and when 
he was told, exclaimed, " That is the very message 1 needed. I will pray 
through. I have tried to worry thiough in my own strength, and have merely 
mentioned my troubles to God. now 1 am going to pray the situation through 
until I gel light."— CHARLES M. ALEXANDER. 



70 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 



He Lifted Me. 



OBAStOTTB 6. BOMKB. 



CnAs. n. Gabriel. 






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1. In lo7-iQg«kind-nes3 Je-suscame 

2. He call'd me long be • fore I beard, 
8. His brow was pierced with many a tborn, 
4. Now OQ a high - er plane I dwell, 

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Be - fore my sin - f ul heart was stirr'd, 
His hands by cm - el nails were torn. 
And with my soul I know 'tis well; 



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me. 
me. 
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me. E« lifud ffl«. 



And from the depths of sin and shame Thro' grace He lift • ed 
Butwhen I took Him at His word, For-giv'n He lift - ed 
When from my guilt and grief, for-lom, In love He lift-ed 
Yet how or why, I can -not tell, He should have lift - ed 




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From shades of night to plains of light, praise His name. He lift-ed me! 



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PART III 

A NEWSPAPER MAN'S 
STORY 



PART III 
A NEWSPAPER MAN'S STORY 

JUST A WORD IN ADVANCE 

To write the story of the Chapman-Alexander 
Simultaneous Evangelistic meetings in Boston is a 
task about as hopeless as the writing of the history 
of the hymns of the church, to which Commander 
Evangeline C. Booth referred in her address on the 
afternoon of the Day of Rejoicing. All that this 
narrative aims to do is to sketch a picture of some of 
the scenes which came under the eye, day after day, 
of one of the men who helped to ^^ cover" the meet- 
ings for one of the Boston dailies. 

THE FIRST DAY 

It is Wednesday, January 27, 1909, at high noon. 
The great Auditorium of Tremont Temple has been 
filled with expectant men and women for an hour, 
although the revival service has been scheduled for 
12:10. The floor, the enlarged pulpit platform and 
the organ loft, the two galleries, the one at the top 
and rear stretching back and up, tier upon tier, to the 
dome, are all packed with people. Not a vacant seat 
anywhere except upon the platform where chairs have 
been reserved for the leaders of the company of sixty 

73 



74 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

evangelists and singers who are in Boston for a great 
campaign in the interest of ^'The King's Business." 

The Rev. Dr. A. Z. Conrad, chairman of the com- 
mittee which has constructed the machine-like or- 
ganization for the conduct of the '^ Simultaneous 
Evangelistic Meetings," sees that the heart-strings of 
the audience are stretched taut, needing only the 
touch of a master hand to throb into melody, and he 
rises, fifteen minutes in advance of the hour an- 
nounced, and introduces Charles M. Alexander, ^'of 
Tennessee, the United States, Great Britain, and the 
rest of the world," and Robert Harkness, ^^ pianist 
and composer from Australia," and as the two men 
come forward the congregation bursts into applause. 

The chorus leader at once proceeds to business. The 
3,000 men and women in the Temple study him a mo- 
ment and then smile their approbation. They see a 
man with an alert air, a face, bright and frequently 
creased with laughter, and a sturdy figure that is 
never still while directing the singers, who are massed 
about him on the plaform and in the ends of the first 
gallery, just above and on either side of the organ. 

^'Sing 138," he says, and the audience applaud. 

'^That's the cold heart of the Boston people. I 
never had so much handshaking as I have had in 
Boston, and I have just come from Richmond. And 
I never was introduced as big as this in my life." 
(Laughter.) 

'^Now then," swinging his arm around in a circle, 
'^have you all got books? Everybody is supposed to 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 75 

have a book/' He speaks with a Southern accent 
and his words are Hke music. 

''Up there in the gallery, in the top gallery, have 
yougot books up there? No? Well, why haven't you? 
Just keep on stirring things up until you get books. 

''Now, all sing 138. 'My Faith Looks up to Thee.' " 

Up go his long arms, straight out in front of him 
then up with a wide sweep, leading the singers. He 
uses his whole body, swaying to and fro, raising him- 
self on his toes, and then dropping down with a 
graceful motion in perfect rhythm with the rich and 
simple melody. 

"Softly, softly," he says, and the voices sound as 
if afar off; and then: "Now, sing," and the volume 
of sound swells and rolls away, like waves upon the 
seashore. 

"Now No. 2. Have you people in the upper gal- 
lery got books yet? Mr. Usher, see that they get 
books, because I want everybody in Boston to learn 
No. 2, and all their friends all over the world. 

"Listen to Mr. Harkness as he plays the chorus. 
Now, everybody must sing, reporters and everybody. 
Get all Boston to singing Gospel songs and you have 
got a good long way on the road to doing something 
for them for eternity. 

"Once more, Mr. Harkness, play the chorus. Now, 
let me sing it over first." And then, with a voice 
clear and rich, he sings the first verse of "He Will 
Hold Me Fast." 

"Now," he says, "don't stop till you get on the 



76 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

'hold/ and then hold for all you are worth. Let 
me sing it again," and he shows them how to hold 
their voices when they reach the word ''hold" in 
the song "He Will H-o-l-d Me Fast." 

"Now we will sing it together," says Mr. Alexander. 

"That's a little better. Now, everybody down 
here on the floor, I want you to sing." The people on 
the floor sing while the galleries remain silent. 

So the song service proceeds for a half-hour. 
Everybody is in good humor. Many of the audience 
are in prayer. Dr. Conrad makes a few announce- 
ments. Ernest Naftzger sings "The Sparrow Song," 
and when, in the silence that follows the song, the 
Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman arises, without any 
introduction, and takes charge of the service, the 
people are quite ready to respond to his appeal. 

They scan him closely. Pastors and prominent 
laymen from all parts of Greater Boston study the 
personality and weigh the words of the evangelist. 
"Will he win Boston? Is he a real prophet? Can he 
combine the wisdom of the pastor with the fervor of 
the revivalist? Have we made any mistake in bring- 
ing him here?" These are the questions that have 
been in the minds and sometimes upon the lips of 
many of his hearers in this first great service. 

They see a face expressive of purpose and power, 
rectangular rather than oval, eyes wide open and 
looking squarely through glasses which do not dim 
their keenness, a jaw that suggests grim tenacity, 
and lips that shut in a straight line like a steel clamp, 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 77 

a face with some furrows and framed in black hair, 
and conveying the impression chiefly of thought- 
fulness, earnestness, and resolution. 

When he begins speaking he opens a little pocket 
Bible, which is his constant companion, and he 
fingers it as he proceeds. His voice is resonant 
and penetrating without being loud or raucous. 

He holds himself well. It is many minutes before 
he uses a gesture, and only at the end of his address 
does he let his voice loose. Then it rings through 
the church like a trumpet and the gestures are vigor- 
ous and sweeping. But he uses the open hand 
always, never the closed fist. When he ends his voice 
is quiet, but tense with the emotion of his appeal. 

The people listen with almost painful stillness. 
When he relates incidents of Gospel work, women's 
eyes fill and many men set their jaws to hold back 
the tears. 

Several of the fundamentals of his message are em- 
phasized in his first address. When the congregation 
pour out of the building they had heard such sen- 
tences as these: "I hope to say in these noon meetings 
the things that will help men to live. I have no other 
ambition. My only hope is that some man shall go 
out of the meeting saying, 'I shall be a better man 
from this day.' . . . There are two kinds of sins, 
those of omission and those of commission. There are 
the sins committed in ignorance and the sins of pre- 
sumption which are mentioned in the first Psalm. 
. . . There is a sure way to overcome sin. The 



78 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

light comes in and the darkness goes out. Where 
God's Word holds sway there sin cannot abide. . . . 
I know that though a man's sins be as scarlet, God 
can make them white as snow." 

The impression is profound. ''This man will 
please Boston/' is the universal verdict. He does 
not denounce the churches, while he sees their fail- 
ures. He does not scathe the ministers, but gives 
them their place as leaders in the campaign for souls. 
There is a great vein of tenderness in the man. 
Clearly, he knows what it is to suffer. His fund of 
illustration is inexhaustible. As an evangelist he 
has heard the woes and the biu-dens, the conflicts 
and the \ictories, of a multitude of souls, and these 
experiences he cites without the betrayal of confi- 
dence by any disclosure of identity. He has studied 
the biographies of the great soul-winners of the 
church. His English is terse, simple, forceful. 
People who had feared to bring an evangelist to 
Boston are rejoicing that Dr. Chapman has come. 

At 4 o'clock there are 1,300 people in Park Street 
church for the first of the ''Quiet Hours." An im- 
promptu overflow service has to be provided in the 
lecture room. Intently the congregation listens to 
Dr. Chapman's statement of his tows upon re\dvals. 
Some think of this as his defense of his mission in a 
city where it had been said there was a measure of 
objection to his coming. With dignity and fervor, he" 
speaks to a people that sit in utter stillness, under the 
spell of his words, and at the end there is scarcely 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 79 

one who does not endorse his position. It is a skill- 
ful bit of strategy, thus to define his views. Tears 
flow freely when he makes his closing appeal for 
consecration to the work and submission to the 
will of the Lord. 

No address of all that he gave in the city was 
more effective than this one upon the nature and 
the desirability of revivals. 

^'Revivals are not more abnormal than is a Chris- 
tian church that is cold and indifferent and unlike 
Jesus Christ. 

"There is no harm in excitement in a church. I 
am not afraid of excitement. The best thing that 
could come to some churches would be a wave of 
excitement. You see men go crazy over politics 
and stark mad over the stock exchange and no one 
refers to them as harmfully excited. 

"But we are told that a revival is followed by a 
reaction. That is not quite true, but if the receding 
wave swept many back, still some would have been 
lifted to a higher plane of living. A reaction is not 
necessary, but if it should come, still the revival 
would be worth while. 

" Do you know how it was that Dr. Grenfell, whom 
all the world admires, was converted? He told me 
the story a little while ago in Burlington, Vt. He 
went to a meeting in London, where Moody was to 
speak. But he went to see Charley Studd, the great 
cricket player. Some one offered a prayer that he 
thought was interminable, and just as he had made 



80 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

up his mind to leave and let Studd go unseen, Mr. 
Moody rushed to the front and said: ^We will sing 
No. 12 while the brother is concluding his prayer.' 

"That interested Grenfell, and he stayed to hear 
Moody. That night he made his start in Christian 
service, and a little while after he was at work among 
the deep-sea fishermen. 

"You say that times have changed, that such 
preaching is no longer needed. Just there I put in 
an objection. Times have not changed. Human 
hearts have not changed; we have not changed; what 
we need is the spirit of the other days." 

THREE WEEKS IN TREMONT TEMPLE 

After that first day Tremont Temple was filled 
over and over again with audiences that rarely 
numbered less than 3,500 each, and the evangelists 
conducted meetings therein twice daily, except upon 
the one day of the week reserved for rest, for a period 
of twenty-one days. In that stretch of three weeks 
there were three meetings upon each of two days, 
but from the total there must be a deduction made 
for the first Thursday evening, that of January 28, 
when, as on the evening preceding, Dr. Chapman 
and Mr. Alexander, with their solo singer and 
pianist, were in Lynn. 

Day after day the throngs came hours in advance 
of the appointed time in the hope that they might 
get into the Temple. Every day there were thou- 
sands who lingered outside, with the big placards 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 81 

stating that the seats and the standing room were 
all taken, staring them in the face. On Sunday 
nights there were two and three overflow meetings 
provided, and these overflowed into the streets. At 
times Tremont Street was almost blocked and it was 
with difficulty that the police kept clear a narrow 
passage for traffic. 

Jaded, indeed, must have been even the professional 
curiosity seeker that was not fascinated with the scene 
within. Here is a man, evidently a pastor from out of 
town, peering through his glasses at some scraps of 
paper held against a hymn book, and desperately 
struggling to jot down some notes of the sermon. 
Here, in a front seat, is a woman in black, with her 
veil turned back from a face which bears the trace of 
sorrow. There are tears in the depths of the big 
brown eyes, which gaze unwaveringly at the speaker. 
Near her is a sturdy boy in knickerbockers, whose 
limbs give promise of athletic prowess. His hands are 
clasped over his knees and he is hanging on one of the 
stories with which the preacher is pointing his appeal. 

Over there in an aisle seat is a woman, elaborately 
dressed, with a refined, patrician face, which is 
screened a bit by a veil draped over a big picture hat. 
Diamonds sparkle at her throat, and the veil is 
clasped with gemmed pins. At the close of the ser- 
vice this woman is one of the first to yield to the 
evangelist's appeal. On the other side of the room, 
just at the elbow of one of the reporters, is a frail 
little woman, whose hands are seamed with toil. 



82 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

She wears just a plain gold band on the marriage 
finger. Her shoes are mudded and her dress soiled. 
A child's knitted cape lies across her lap and in the 
next chair is a little girl asleep. 

Away back under the gallery stands a young woman 
in a modish suit and expensive furs. She wears a 
great bunch of violets. For almost two hours she 
stands, the latter half of the time leaning against the 
wall. Stretching over the gallery grill, forty feet 
above her, is a man in a big, brown overcoat, with a 
rugged face, whose hungry eyes seem to devour the 
speaker as he tells the story of a wanderer's return. 

Men fill the Temple at the noon meetings; in the 
evening women predominate. But always there are 
more men than women who sign the decision cards. 
Here is a section of the first gallery, as it looked on 
the evening of February 8, to the reporters who were 
squeezed three at a table, at the base of the platform, 
where they were right at the feet of the speaker: In 
the aisle seat of that section is a firm-faced young 
man of about 25; next him is a man of perhaps 60, 
with gold-rimmed glasses, who holds his hand behind 
his ear, trying to catch the words of the preacher; 
then come two student-like men, one quite young, with 
thoughtful countenances; beyond is a man in frock 
coat and white tie, with the air of the clergymen; next 
is a man with just a wisp of white hair, whose face 
is scarred and seamed, and whose eyes are watchful, 
studying the speaker and his hearers as well ; the rest 
are women, one old and sweet-faced, one of middle 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 83 

age, and one younger, with cheeks that glow and eyes 
that flash. All these people listen quietly, and all of 
them sing. Here is another section, the one right over 
the clock, in the first gallery. On the evening of Sun- 
day, January 31, it seated: a young man next the 
aisle, then another — and when the after-meeting be- 
gan a woman leaned over the back of the seat between 
them, and, with an open Bible, talked with them about 
the decision that Dr. Chapman had asked his hearers 
to make ; then came a white-waisted young woman, an 
old lady in a black bonnet, a business man, with arms 
folded across his chest, four women, one singing vig- 
orously, and then, next the far aisle, two women of 
middle age. So in all the audiences there were all 
sorts and conditions of men, the rich and the poor, 
the young and the old, the respectable and the de- 
bauched, the educated and the ignorant, the foreign- 
born and the children of the soil. Four rows of seats, 
well to the front, were equipped with acousticons. 
Deaf people used them freely; when you saw their 
eyes begin to shine you knew they had begun to hear. 
Charles M. Alexander proved himself to be a mag- 
netic chorus leader. There was no resisting him. He 
cajoled, threatened, coaxed, praised, '^jollied" and 
chided the people until he had every mouth open 
and every voice swelling the volume of song. Every 
crowd was Alexanderized into a choir. He showed 
great aptness at dubbing things and people. The hun- 
dreds in the rear of the upper gallery became the 
^' choir annex." '^You preachers come to the plat- 



84 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

form," he called one night. ^^But look out; you may 
have to sing, or something." Again he cried out to 
the people standing along the wall on the main floor, 
^^You sing, you folks. You ought to be thankful 
that you got in here. There are lots of people out- 
side that would like to swap with you." 

One night the song was ''Where is My Wandering 
Boy To-night?" and when he detected a big baritone 
voice in the fom^th row of the main floor he got its 
possessor, a large man of business-like appearance, 
to stand in his place and sing the last verse alone. 

''Good," cried Mr. Alexander, and then the people 
in the top gallery sang the chorus softly, and a whis- 
pered echo, "^\Tiere Is My Wandering Boy To- 
night?" came floating down from that height. 

As the last notes died away, Mr. Alexander merged 
the melody into ^' Just As I Am, Without One Plea," 
and Robert Harkness, at the piano, filled in the inter- 
ludes with, rippling streams of melody. 

Sometunes all the people sang together, and then 
they sang a gallery at a time, the choir alone, the 
floor alone, the ministers on the platform alone, a 
little girl in the balcony alone. One night, just 
before the sermon "the hymn that everybody knows" 
was announced, and 3,500 people pom^ed out their 
emotions in "Nearer, My God, to Thee." 

The boy in the red sweater in the top gallery sang 
it, the lad and his mother in the middle of the first 
gallery sang it, and when the chance was given for 
people to express their intention to lead the Chris- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 85 

tian life, that boy was one of the first to stand, and 
the mother wiped the tears away and smiled down 
at the evangehst. 

There was a man in a front seat right under the big 
grand piano which Mrs. Norton was playing in the 
absence of Mr. Harkness, who looked as if he was 
just getting over a debauch, and he tried to sing the 
hymn. His voice was a shrill falsetto, but he tried 
hard to keep in time. Just behind him were the 
two sisters of "Sunbeam Fanny," and they were sing- 
ing with all the strength of their lusty young lungs. 

At several of the services the leader had the con- 
gregation call for the hymns that had most influ- 
enced their lives, and always the responses were so 
many that he could not have all the hymns named 
sung. At one of the "Good Cheer" meetings a man 
at the rear asked for "Ask the Savior to Help You." 
One night a small boy wanted "He Will Hold Me 
Fast." Often the old hymns were selected, as "There 
Is a Fountain," "Nearer, My God, to Thee," and 
"Rock of Ages." But in every case, after a half- 
hour of song and prayer under the leading of Mr. 
Alexander, the audience was in good humor, enthu- 
siastic, ready for the message of the sermon, feeling 
more like a company of old friends than like a crowd 
of chance neighbors. 

Mr. Alexander did not hesitate to give the people a 
chance to laugh. One night George T. B. Davis had 
been telling the story of the Pocket Testament 
League, and there was a loud laugh when he said: 



86 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

"1 met a reporter and asked him to join. He said, 
'I am in the sporting department.' 'Well, here's 
one in a sporting cover,' I said. He joined." 

Such sallies were frequent. Once Mr Alexander 
called for Scripture texts from the congregation. A 
woman quoted the passage about '' rightly dividing 
the word of truth." ''Good," responded the singer, 
"You're orthodox." But a minute later many of 
the people were in tears. That was when Dr. Chap- 
man, among the requests for prayer, that had come to 
him dm-ing the day, read this letter, which, he said, 
was in a child's handrwiting, and signed "Annie.": 

"Please pray for my papa to come to Christ. My 
mother is in heaven." 

So it went on, day after day. The resourcefulness 
of this chorus leader was a continuous astonishment 
to the crowd. He would discover a good voice in the 
gallery. "Sing the chorus for us, will you?" he 
would say, and under the warmth of his smile the 
diffident one would get the com^age for the effort. 
Often Dr. Chapman, the co-laborer beside him, would 
turn to him with a quizzical look, in which surprise 
and admiration seemed to blend. Wlien Mr. Alex- 
ander opened his lips no one knew just what was going 
to tumble out. One night Lawrence Greenwood sang 
a song with telling effect. "Say," and Mr. Alexander 
leaned over and spoke confidentially to the audience, 
"Say, let's have him sing it again. I believe Green- 
wood's got religion. I like to hear him sing." 

Sometimes the song service would close with a solo 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 87 

by Ernest Naftzger, and in the stillness that followed 
the evangelist would read the Scripture lesson or 
offer a prayer. More often, perhaps, the baritone 
would sing at the end of the sermon, and under the 
spell of ^'The Shadow Song," or the refrain, ''Is the 
Savior Yours?" the preacher would give the invita- 
tion to take the first step into the Christian life. 

The Tremont Temple services were notable, also, 
for the number of letters asking for prayer in behalf 
of the writers or their friends, which were read, day 
by day. One noonday, when a fourth of the audience 
had risen to signify their desire to be prayed for. Dr. 
Chapman, while they were standing, read this letter: 
''On Tuesday noon a young woman attended your 
service in the Temple. On Wednesday she had a 
hemorrhage of the lungs and died Friday at mid- 
night. She was an only child. The song which 
profoundly moved her in the Temple was ' The Spar- 
row Song,' and when they stand about her coffin 
to-morrow they are to sing that song." 

On the evening of February 3, Dr. Chapman read 
extracts from scores of letters. One asked for 
prayer for a man and a woman who were living in 
sin. "I can only read part of it," said the evan- 
gelist. "Pray that they may not both be lost, but 
may go hand in hand to God." 

There was a letter from a pastor asking that prayer 
be offered "that the churches on Cape Cod shall be 
kindled"; a request for a man "who for 47 years has 
rejected Christ"; for a son who is "losing his position 



88 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

through drink"; from a mother who said she was try- 
ing hard to lead a better hfe and asked prayers for her 
family, and for ^^the only son of a widowed mother." 

Every head was bowed in silent prayer, and after 
a minute of stillness Dr. Chapman offered his sen- 
tence petition in a quiet and tender tone: 

'^Hear us, our Heavenly Father, in these prayers 
which we offer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen." 

In the sermon the passage that thrilled every hearer 
was this: ^'I wish to say to the woman with the drug 
habit. My sister, you can't be free of yourself from 
that habit. But I know of One who can set j^ou 
free. There is a way to liberty. You will find it in 
Him — in Him — in Him"; and the voice lingered in 
the silence upon that phrase ^'in Him." 

One night an old soldier sent in this letter: "Pray 
for the unconverted veterans of the Civil War. We 
are getting very near home. It is my earnest wish 
ever to get nearer and nearer to Christ and that all 
my comrades may be saved." That same night 
there was a request for "the man who last night in 
Tremont Temple, with great gratitude, gave himself 
to Christ, when accepting Him meant the giving up 
of his business." 

At the night service of February 11 the evangelist 
read thirty-nine requests for prayer. Of these four 
were for men with the liquor habit; eight were ap- 
peals in behalf of the "v\Titers themselves; twelve 
were for sons and daughters and signed "Mother"; 
one was for a town in Maine ; one was for the churches 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 89 

in Concord, N. H.; one was for a man in Mexico; 
one for a boy in a distant state, and another for a 
man in Vermont. 

On the night of the 13th the revivaUst held up a 
mass of letters and told the people that every note 
in the bunch was a request for prayer and that he 
could not take the time to read them all. 

^^Some of them are stained with the tears of the 
writers," he said. ^^ Never before, in a single day, 
have I received so many such letters." 

Among the letters which was heard with most in- 
tense interest was one from a woman resident of 
the Back Bay, in which her circumstances were 
recited at length, prayer was asked for herself and 
various members of her family, and the emphatic 
statement was made that not only were there sin 
and need in the South End and other parts of the 
city whence such prayer letters were coming so freely, 
but in the fashionable sections as well. 

When Dr. Chapman gave the people an oppor- 
tunity to make requests for prayer in the course of 
the services, the response was prompt always, and 
sometimes there were scores who told the burdens on 
their hearts in two words each. In one meeting 
there were requests for ^^My father in Russia," "My 
boy in Washington," "My boy, I don't know where 
he is," ''My grandfather," and then they came so 
fast that the listener could not disentangle the sep- 
arate requests. The last one floated down from 
the gallery, ''Pray for my boy." 



90 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

At the noon meeting of February 9 this letter was 
read: ^'Inclosed please find $1. It really does not 
belong to me and my conscience will not allow me to 
keep it. Please pray for me. I don't know any 
better way to get rid of the money than to give it to 
you to help the cause along. Yours respectfully, 
and one who wishes to do right. A Sinner." 

Most impressive of all the scenes connected with 
the citation of the letters in which men and women, 
some of them penitents, and others plunged in re- 
morseful despair, laid bare their hearts to the evan- 
gelist, occurred in the midst of the sermon at the 
meeting of February 13. Dr. Chapman had been 
dwelling upon the judgment which men must face 
and the sins for which they must account, and he 
said: "I know some of you are condemned by yom* 
own consciences, and that you sit in trembling as I 
speak. How do I know?" 

The speaker thrust his hand into his pocket and 
produced a letter. 

^'I know because I hold here in my hand a note 
signed by a woman who says: ^I am condemned. I 
am in the grip of sin. Say a word of comfort to me 
to-night, for I shall be in the meeting.'" 

Again his hand went into his pocket and brought 
out another note. ^'This letter," he said, ^^I have re- 
ceived since I entered this building this evening. It is 
from a man who is here and who says that drink is 
ruining his home and hurting his wife and his child." 
Once more the hand of the preacher went into his 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 91 

pocket, while the people looked and listened in tense 
silence, and another letter was brought out. ^^Here is 
yet a third note. It is all stained with tears. It is 
from a man who says that he is a thief. 'No one 
knows it but myself and God,' he writes. But he 
adds: 'I am in the clutch of this sin and I need help.' 

''Is that woman here? Are those men here? Is 
there help for them? Yes, there is help in the Lord 
Jesus Christ." 

Every service, noon, afternoon, or night, had its 
outstanding feature, what the workers called "mani- 
festations of the power of the Spirit," and the re- 
porters "picturesque scenes." On the first Sunday 
afternoon in the Temple, those who had served Christ 
more than fifty years were asked to stand, and more 
than 100 men arose who said that they had been fol- 
lowing Him from fifty to sixty years. "Has He ever 
forsaken you in all that time?" asked the leader. 
"Never," came the answer from all parts of the 
house. 

A favorite method employed by the leaders to in- 
duce those impressed by their message to surrender 
was that of inviting people forward to take them 
by the hand. On the first Sunday night people by 
scores made their way to the front. Here came a 
mother. "This is my daughter," she said, and a 
14-year-old girl gave her hand to the singer. Then 
a boy and girl came together down the aisle. All the 
time the choir, with Mr. Naftzger leading them, 
were softly singing. Up in the galleries, where the 



92 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

people could not easily get down to Mr. Alexander, 
they stood up, and those without seats raised their 
hands at the invitation of the evangelist. 

In the far corner of the top gallery one woman took 
her stand, and her white waist gleamed against the 
wall. Over on the side a man who had been standing 
all the evening put up his hand, and his black derby 
hat was silhouetted upon the brown-tinted wall. 

There was an after-meeting at the close of almost 
every service, held at times in the Temple, and again 
in Lorimer Hall, on the floor below. But when the 
evangelist made his appeals for an immediate de- 
cision, he made it a practice to disclaim all purpose 
of taking advantage of the emotions of his auditors. 
'^Wait and think," he would say. ^'Dry your tears. 
Sit in quiet and consider and then calmly and in 
the light of your best reason decide." 

Several times he made this statement about the 
decision cards which he asked the people to sign, and 
which were presented to all that lifted their hands 
for prayer or who came forward to express their 
intention to lead a Christian life: ^'I haven't a par- 
ticle of ambition about the number of cards that may 
be signed. I never make any announcement of the 
number that may have been signed at the meetings 
that I conduct. They go right to the pastors named 
in them. Neither you nor I know if a person has 
been converted. God alone knows the heart. 

^'What I count worth while is that a person shall 
definitely make his purpose clear by joining the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 93 

church. You may cry your eyes out and you may 
sign a score of cards, but that amounts to nothing in 
itself. I want you to go to the church of your choice." 

The after-meetings in Lorimer Hall were full of 
tender scenes, and sometimes there were incidents 
really dramatic. Except in one instance, the men 
were asked to come down to the lower and smaller 
room and the women of the Temple congregation 
remained in their places for an after service which was 
conducted, sometimes by Mr. Alexander, sometimes 
by Mrs. Asher and Mrs. Norton. Lorimer Hall seats 
about 900, including the gallery. Dr. Chapman 
would invite those who were not members of the 
church, including all who might have raised their 
hands when the opportunity to ask for prayer had 
been given in the Temple auditorium, to take seats 
on the floor and the others to go into the balcony. 
The floor was always full of people who expected, 
evidently, to be asked to make a final decision. 

Ten minutes after the end of the sermon on the 
night of February 11, Lorimer Hall was full and peo- 
ple were standing along the walls of the room, and 
clustered thickly about the doors of the gallery above. 
There was a little dialogue between Dr. Chapman, 
standing at the front of the piano, and a gray-bearded, 
spectacled man with a bit of the Scotch burr in his 
speech, who sat in a front seat in the gallery. 

Dr. Chapman had asked that some of the ministers 
present should tell the people whether he had rightly 
instructed them as to the way of salvation. ^' Faith 



94 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

is the assent of the mind and the consent of the heart 
to God/' said the man in the gallery. 

"1 am a seeking sinner; what shall I do?" asked the 
evangelist. ^^Trustin the substituted Christ/' came 
down from the gallery. ^'How?" was the next ques- 
tion. ''It's like wireless telegraphy. The instrument 
on land and the instrument on the vessel must be 
attuned. Then you get the message. Your heart must 
beat in sympathy with God's. Then God comes in." 
"Listen!" called Dr. Chapman. ''That's great preach- 
ing/' and the illustration was repeated. 

It was on February 8 that Mr. Alexander used the 
illustration of the bucket and the rope which quite 
captivated the imaginations of those who were 
hesitating on the brink of decision. 

"The man who gets into the bucket and lets him- 
self be lowered into a well believes in the rope and 
on the rope by which that bucket is held. So it is 
with Jesus Christ." 

Then when the invitation was given for the people 
present to "get into the bucket" about 75 of them 
came forward and "clutched the rope/' coming a step 
at a time, first lifting their hands for prayer, then 
moving out into the aisles and standing in front of the 
platform, and finally ratifying their decision by an "I 
will," spoken in most instances in full, round tones. 

There v/as a boy of 12 in the gallery who said that 
next Sunday he was going to join the church of his 
father in Lowell, and there was an old man of 90 
years who made the decision; among the women the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 95 

oldest was more than 70, and the youngest was a 
scarlet-coated little girl who came from a rear seat 
on the main floor. 

But most impressive of all was the decision of a 
man with gray hair and a deeply seamed face, who 
bowed his head upon his arms and for a long time 
resisted the appeals of the personal workers and the 
direct invitation of Dr. Chapman, who moved down 
the aisle to him. Among the very last he took his 
stand. ''This man says that he has felt for years 
that he was not fit to be a Christian," said the leader. 
''Now he comes upon our promise that we will pray 
for him." Then while the man lowered his face into 
his hands and rested his arms upon the platform, 
Dr. Chapman stood above him with upturned face 
and offered a simple and direct prayer for this man 
who at last had "come out for Christ." 

Another memorable night was that of February 4. 
The unforgetable scene occurred this time also in the 
lower hall. Like a great incoming wave the men 
surged forward to take the evangelist by the hand 
when he gave the invitation. He was standing in 
the midst of them, down on the floor, Mr. Alexander 
was leading them now in song and again offering 
prayers, while the pictured face of the Rev. George 
C. Lorimer, as one of the members of the church he 
built, said, "seemed to smile upon the scene." 

"Listen, men," called the leader, and the accent of 
joy was in his voice. " Here is an old sea captain. He 
is 80. He can sail better than I can, but he says that 



96 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

on the land I can talk better than he. He wants me 
to tell you that he accepts Jesus Christ to-night." 

They stood together, the evangelist and the old 
man, looking like a ^'sea dog" that had stepped out 
of a painter's canvas, and Mr. Alexander started up, 
''Throw Out the Life Line." 

Then there was the man who had not been in a 
Christian church or in any religious gathering for six- 
teen years, and the boy who had been sitting with 
his father near the front in the service upstairs. 
There was the young man with the broad shoulders, 
hid from top to toe in a big automobile coat, and the 
venerable looking man who, with a voice choked with 
emotion, told how for fifty-eight years he had been a 
slave of sin and had lost one position after another. 

One night the dramatic moment came when, among 
the very first to come forward, as the invitation was 
given, was an old, decrepit man, hobbling on a cane. 
It was blind Peter Trainer, seller of shoe-strings and 
newspapers in Tremont Street. Day after day he had 
tried to penetrate the crowd and get into the Temple. 
At last he succeeded, threw away his papers, heard 
the music and the message, and said '^Yes" to the 
appeal. Here he comes, slowly, feeling the way with 
his cane, eyes staring and face radiant. Eager hands 
help and guide. Dr. Chapman welcomes him, the 
decision is made. Blind Peter Trainer has found 
'Hhe Light of the World." 

It was in Lorimer Hall, too, that a man was won 
after the after-service had been ended formally with 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 97 

the benediction. Most of the people had left for 
their homes, but with this man the evangelists lin- 
gered in close and intense conversation. He was a 
business man of middle age from Lynn. A hundred 
men were waiting and watching in various parts of 
the hall and many were in prayer over the outcome 
of the conversations. And at last, with a smile that 
was almost a sob, the man sank upon his knees and 
Dr. Chapman and a personal worker knelt at either 
side of him. The evangelist offered prayer and when 
he parted with the inquirer his final message was: 
^'I'U not forget you. Your name goes into my book 
and you'll hear from me, I'll guarantee." 

It was in Lorimer Hall again that Dr. Chapman 
knelt in the midst of a circle of seventy-five men and 
offered this prayer: ^' Bless Thou these men who have 
surrendered to their Savior. Make the memories 
of the past more and more fresh in their hearts. 
Help them to fulfill the ideals of their mothers and 
fathers, and to themselves build homes in which 
their children shall learn to love the name of the 
Master, and keep them to the end in the way that 
shine th unto the perfect day." 

There were men old and gray, and others just coming 
into manhood in this group, and most of them were 
keen-eyed, prosperous looking, and well dressed. The 
evangelist called for testimonies and they responded by 
the score. One said that he had been a Christian for 
fifty-eight years and two men told of the starts they 
had made, one a week and the other five weeks ago. 



98 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

^\]len the old man reported that he had made his 
decision fifty-eight years ago, Dr. Chapman suggested 
that he had given the thing a good, long test, and 
asked if he had ever regretted it. ^' Never," was the 
prompt reply. Then a shght lad of about 16 said: 
^'The other night at the service here I decided and I 
went home and told my mother and father about 
it," and there was a burst of applause. 

After the thi^eescore men had taken the evangelist 
by the hand and given then token of ^'definite ac- 
ceptance of Christ," the leader gave the men present 
from a distance a chance to say a word. One bearded 
man in the gallery stood up and said: ^'I came down 
from a to^m in Xew Hampshire, where we have been 
reading about all this. They are waking up up there, 
that is, the tmconverted folks are, and I guess that the 
chiu-ch members will pretty soon. God bless you." 

This scene was the secjuel of another in the Temple 
above. That was the night that the preacher had 
paiuted a picture of ''the old home*' and illustrated 
it by a tender incident. 

''Listen! I was id Atlanta with former Governor 
Xorthen a few years ago. We passed a certain 
monument and he asked me if I knew whose figure 
it was upon the pedestal. I looked at the inscrip- 
tion and read the name of 'Henry W. Grady.' the 
apostle of the new South, one of the first to bridge 
the gulf between the Xorth and the South. 

''Then the governor told me this story of Grady: 
'One day we missed hun from his usual haimts,' he 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 99 

said. ^He was gone from Tuesday to Thursday. 
He had gone back to his old home and to his mother, 
and he had told her that he was not what once he 
was, that he was tired of the grind of the world, and 
that he wanted to be a boy again. 

"'She adopted his fancy and talked to him as 
though he were again at her knee, and not the great 
man he had become. When the shadows covered the 
walls at night she took him in her arms and sang one 
of the old lullabies. He knelt beside her, as he had 
done many years before, and repeated the prayer of 
his childhood. And after he was in his bed she put 
her hands on his head in the old way and gave him 
that pat that only a mother can give. There's nothing 
like a mother's touch. When Grady came back to his 
work his face was shining and his heart was light.' 

"Oh, that I could take you back! You can put 
your hands over your eyes and go back in memory 
— and you're there now, back at the old home, and 
your mother's face is before you. 

"In the name of Jesus Christ, your mother's Savior, 
and of your mother's God, I bid you come to Him." 

There were tears in the eyes of most of the audi- 
ence when he finished his appeal. 

But there were pathetic and thrilling scenes also 
in the great hall in which the meetings proper were, 
held. 

"Good Cheer" meetings were the order for the 
Monday noons of the three weeks' campaign, when 
reports were received of the progress of the work in 



100 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

the twenty-four districts where the singers and revi- 
valists whom Dr. Chapman had brought with him to 
the city were at work. On the first Monday, February 
1, Cambridge reported that the churches were not big 
enough to hold the congregations; People's Temple, 
^'packed every night"; East Boston, '^ glorious — 200 
last night"; Melrose, 'Hhe most impressive spiritual 
movement in a quarter of a century"; and so from 
Maiden, Allston, Jamaica Plain, and the rest. 

It was the same story, only bigger, a week later. 
On February 15, Winter Hill, Somerville, stated that 
the churches were united for the first time in twenty- 
five years; East Boston that the newsboys were 
singing "He Will Hold Me Fast" in three different 
languages; and "a real awakening" was the word 
from Dorchester, Field's Corner, South Boston, 
Brookline, and elsewhere. 

On that Monday, also, Mr. Alexander gave the 
people a chance to say if the hymns were helping 
people at a distance. And Portland testified for 
"God Will Take Care of You"; the Berkshire Hills 
for "He Lifted Me"; Plymouth for "He Will Hold 
Me Fast"; Stoneham for "Is He Yours?" and Cape 
Cod for "God Will Take Care of You." 

Lieutenant General Oliver Otis Howard, the last 
of the surviving Civil War generals who commanded 
a separate army for the North, and honored every- 
where as a hero of Gettysburg, was present at one of 
these noon meetings. Mr. Alexander "spotted" him 
in the audience and compelled him to come to the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 101 

platform. General Howard had been chairman of the 
committee which had managed the revival campaign 
in Vermont a few months before, and he told of the 
work which the evangelists had done in his home state. 

In his sermon, Dr. Chapman told how the general's 
friends learned the quality of his religion. 

^'I once asked a friend in a Pacific coast city who 
was the greatest Christian worker there. He said it 
wasn't a minister, though they had many distin- 
guished ministers. 'Well,' I said, 'who is it?' He 
said, 'I'll tell you. It's a man holding a high official 
position under the government. And his position is 
so high that the people felt that they wanted to 
show him some conspicuous honor, so they got per- 
mission of the President to give him a reception. 
They fixed the date for Wednesday evening and they 
went to the man and asked him to meet them on that 
date, not telling him what for. But he said he 
couldn't meet them. He had a prior engagement. 
And they tried in every way to induce him to cancel 
the other engagement and be on hand Wednesday 
night, but he said it was impossible. So they held the 
reception Thursday night and the high official kept his 
engagement for Wednesday night. And what do you 
suppose it was? At the prayer meeting with his 
pastor. And that man,' said the preacher, amid deaf- 
ening applause, 'was our friend. General Howard.'" 

At the close the general stood before his "brother 
Christians" and asked their prayers that his faith 
fail not. 



102 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

On the evening of February 5 Dr. Chapman's 
daughter appeared for the first time in the Temple. 
Ernest Naftzger was indisposed and the evangehst 
had telegraphed for his daughter, Mrs. C. P. Good- 
son, the wife of a Presbyterian pastor of Highland 
Park, Illinois, and she had started a few hours after 
receiving the message, arriving in Boston just in 
time to sing ''The Invitation Hymn" on February 5. 
As she stood at her father's side, pleading in song as 
her father had been pleading in sermon, their figures 
contrasted strongly. She seemed slight and her oval 
face thin against the big man beside her, with rect- 
angular face and square, protruding jaw. Her voice 
is contralto; every word was distinctly pronounced, 
and the ''comes" of "The Invitation Song" were 
held and a plaintive quality in the voice made them 
moving and tender. 

One of the other most impressive illustrations of the 
power of song was given on February 2. That was 
when, at the close of the service in Tremont Temple, 
the aisles were blocked with persons coming to the 
front of the auditorium to take the hand of Chorus 
Leader Alexander and tell him they had determined 
to lead the Christian life. One came for every group 
of eleven in the great audience, more than 300 in all. 

Dr. Chapman had been preaching on the text, "This 
Year Thou Shalt Die," and Mr. Alexander had just 
sung the song that he has sung twice round the world 
and which, said the preacher, "has perhaps brought 
more men to Christ than any hymn I have ever used." 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 103 

" If you could see Christ standing here to-night, 

His thorn-crowned head and pierced hands could view, 
Could see those eyes that beam with heav'n's own light, 
And hear Him say ' Beloved, 'twas for you, ' 
Would you believe and Jesus receive 
If He was standing here ? " 

Faces became set and rigid as he sang; the people 
in the crowded room, many of whom had been stand- 
ing for almost two hours, grew quiet and more quiet, 
and when the singer came to the refrain at the end 
of the third stanza, he waited after ^'For He is stand- 
ing," and for almost a half minute the ticking of 
the clock at the back of the big room could be heard 
distinctly in all parts of the hall before he added the 
final word, ^^here." 

Then the evangelist stated his understanding of 
the acceptance of Christ. "It means repentance; 
that is, not only sorrow for sin, but actual turning 
from it; believing in the Lord Jesus Christ; public 
confession of Him as your Savior; and obedience to 
His will." When he gave the invitation and the 
choir began to sing '^ Just As I Am" the people began 
to move to the front. 

" Just as I am, without one plea 
But that Thy blood was shed for me." 

And old and young, prosperous folk and poorly 
dressed, men and women, they came. 

" And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come." 

They came down from the galleries. One man 
was seen to leave a front seat in the second balcony 



104 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

and slowly make his way to the exit, and five min- 
utes later he appeared at the front and gave his hand 
to Mr. Alexander. 

The Rev. Dr. P. S. Henson, former pastor of Tre- 
mont Temple, and Bishop John W. Hamilton, of the 
Methodist church, were on the platform and expressed 
their indorsement of the terms of the acceptance of 
Christ as Dr. Chapman had stated them, and told how 
glad they were to feel that Jesus Christ was in the 
midst and breathing His peace upon the congregation. 

Then there was the midday meeting of February 11, 
when the evangelists conducted a service for women 
only, and the main floor was reserved for young women 
in stores and oflfices, hundreds of whom gave up their 
luncheon hour to attend the meeting. There was 
the service in the interests of laboring people, the em- 
ployed and the unemployed, at noon of February 18. 
The speakers were the Rev. Samuel McChord Crothers, 
of the Unitarian church, Cambridge; the Rev. Dr. 
Daniel W. Waldron, of the City Missionary Society, 
and Dr. Chapman. Many laboring men were pres- 
ent, but the upper gallery was thrown open to women, 
Dr. Chapman's solution of the problem of the work- 
ingman was Galatians vi. 2: ^'Bear ye one another's 
burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ." 

On the evening of February 16 there was a party of 
eighty deaf mutes, with their interpreter, in the rear 
of the top gallery. The interpreter, Miss Emily A. 
Goldsmith, of Cambridge, stood against the side wall 
and with flying fingers and gestures translated the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 105 

message of the evangelist. All eyes in the Temple, 
which was full, in spite of the storm, were turned 
upon the platform, except those of the deaf mutes. 
They gazed steadily at Miss Goldsmith. When Er- 
nest Naftzger sang of the ''crown" her hands circled 
her forehead; when the evangelist spoke of ''love" 
her hands were folded upon her chest, and whenever 
he used the pronouns "thee" and "thou" in refer- 
ring to God she pointed a finger upward. 

At least once the evangelist dispensed with the 
after-meeting entirely. At the end he gave an illus- 
tration that exactly fitted his argument, and while 
the imaginations of the people were busy with the 
scene he had sketched, Mrs. Goodson rose to sing. 

It was one of the invitation songs. Her /father 
stood beside her and detained her as she finished. 
"I want you to think about this," he said. "I am 
not going to ask you to raise your hands, or to stand 
up, or to come forward, or to remain for an after- 
meeting. I just want you to go home with the spell 
of this song upon you and think of these things." 

Then the daughter took her cue from her father's 
eye and sang again: 

"Come home, come home, 

Ye who are weary come home : 
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, 
Calling, Oh! sinner, come home." 

Robert Harkness struck a chord upon the piano, 
the audience waited a moment in stillness and with 
a word of prayer the evangelist dismissed them. 



106 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

On February 10, 3,000 men and women thundered 
a chorused "1 will" to the evangelist's challenge that 
they subscribe to three principles as the guiding 
stars of their lives thereafter. They were: salvation, 
sacrifice, service. On Lincoln's birthday, February 
12, at noon, 2,500 men stood and pledged themselves 
to live better lives, to try to make others better, to 
listen to the cries of need, and to ^^get in line with 
every decent man who is trying to make Boston 
better." Then they went out of the Temple shaking 
hands, each man with his neighbor. 

But greatest of all the days in Tremont Temple, 
save only the service of the " Day of Rejoicing, " were 
the Sundays, the nights when the ministers made 
their new covenant, and the last night of all, when 
the recruits for the army of the King were massed 
upon the floor and in the galleries. The first of the 
three Sundays was January 31, when the evangelists 
conducted a service for men only in the afternoon 
and for every one at night, and when there were 
overflow meetings in Lorimer Hall below and in 
Park Street church, a block away. Dr. Chapman 
also preached in Tremont Temple at the regular 
morning service of the congregation. 

The second Sunday astonished the leaders them- 
selves, veterans in the revival work as they were. 
There were 3,500 men in Tremont Temple in the after- 
noon, 1,000 of whom stood for prayer, and again at 
night an equal number of women and men heard the 
evangelists and many scores responded to their ap- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 107 

peals that they definitely pledge themselves to follow 
Jesus Christ. At the same hour there were 1,300 per- 
sons in Park Street church, 1,200 in the Tremont 
Street Methodist Episcopal church, 1,000 in Lorimer 
Hall, while 400 went to an impromptu overflow service 
in the Bromfield Street Methodist church and 500 more 
stood in the open air outside Park Street church and 
listened to the preaching of the Rev. Robert Cameron, 
who came over from Tremont Temple to address 
them. That was the night when Temple Street church 
was packed, choir box and all, at 6:20, so that when 
the regular worshipers came for their usual evening 
service, they could not get into their own church. 

At the same hour as the men's afternoon meeting 
in Tremont Temple, Bromfield Street Methodist 
church was packed with women, who filled all the 
seats and stood in rows three deep along the walls. 
Mrs. Ralph Norton sang for them, and Mrs. William 
Asher made a touching appeal for Christ, and more 
than fifty lifted their hands for prayer. 

When the men's meeting closed at 5 o'clock 1,000 
people were waiting in the street for the doors to be 
opened for the night meetings, and when the hall was 
ready for them and the doors swung wide they rushed 
into the auditorium, and in a few minutes the main 
floor and all the galleries were filled to their capacity. 
Then the people settled down to wait, and as no more 
could get in, a message was sent to Dr. Chapman 
and Mr. Alexander, and they sacrificed their rest 
hour between meetings and came over to the Temple, 



108 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

where the service was begun at 6:30, more than an 
hour earher than scheduled. 

It was in the after-meeting that the most tender 
and moving scenes occurred. It was exactly 8:10 by 
the big clock under the rail of the first gallery that 
Dr. Chapman gave the invitation for the people who 
were willing to confess their intention to adopt the 
Christian life to leave their seats and come down be- 
fore the pulpit and take him by the hand. For 30 
minutes precisely they streamed through the aisles 
and down from the galleries, the young and the old, 
husbands and wives together, big, brawny men and 
delicate women, persons of all types and grades of so- 
cial standing, and when the hands of the clock pointed 
to 8:40 the evangelist pronounced the benediction. 

The third Sunday witnessed scenes that more than 
duplicated those of the preceding Sabbath. Again 
the service began an hour and a half before the 
scheduled time; again the Temple, the churches and 
all the overflow meetings overflowed, and again there 
were hundreds of inquirers. 

The forty-two ministers made their new covenant 
on a night comparatively early in the series. It was 
February 3. The ministers, some of whom had come 
a long way to reach the service, and others who were 
pastors of local churches, had accepted the ''I sur- 
render" challenge of the evangelist and left their 
seats on the platform and were massed in front of 
the pulpit, where they were squeezed against the 
reporters' tables. Most of them were yomig men. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 109 

One gray-bearded pastor had scrambled down over 
the table just in front of him, thence to the chair 
which a reporter had been occupying, and taken his 
stand at the head of the center aisle. 

"My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, 
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign." 

The choir, massed about the organ, was singing 
that hymn in softly whispered tones. 

Dr. Chapman stood in the center aisle and faced 
the clergymen. 

''Now, my brethren," he said, ''I don't set myself 
up to teach you. I know that many of you could 
well teach me. But there are some things that I 
am sure that I absolutely do know. God has burned 
them into my heart. There is only one way to preach 
to a lost world and that is to tell men the story of 
Jesus. God can never use a minister until He has 
all there is of him." 

Then Dr. Chapman mounted a seat that was 
vacated for him by one of the personal workers and 
turned to face the audience. He clutched a Bible 
in his upstretched hand and appealed to the people 
who had been hanging upon his words for almost an 
hour that all of them who were Christians dedicate 
themselves with their pastors and move out into the 
aisles. Nearly half the audience crowded toward 
the narrow open spaces. 

The leader asked that all others who would from 
that hour give all to Christ stand, and half the bal- 
ance of the people stood in their places. 



no BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

''Now," said the leader, after Dr. Conrad, who was 
standing by his side, had offered prayer, '^this 
means that on Feb. 3, 1909, you say to the Father: 
^Take more of my Hfe; take all of my life.' In the 
home you are to live as a consecrated father. As a 
business man you are to reflect the image of Jesus. 
As a student you are to remember Him. As a min- 
ister, you are to remember, we are to remember, 
that from to-night we are to pray more, work more, 
read the Bible more, until seeking souls shall become 
a passion "vsdth us. And if any of you men and women 
do not want it to mean all of this, will you be seated 
now where you are? 

"Now, you ministers, will you take this vow?" 

As one man the forty-two ministers in front of the 
platform chorused, ''I will." 

The people on the first floor said it; the standing 
men and women in the first gallery said it. Dr. 
Chapman lifted his face, and his hands were stretched 
out to the throng in the upper gallery, and down 
from them came a responding, '^I will." 

There was a moment of silence. The leader covered 
his face with his hands. A thousand people were in 
tears. Then, ''Let us pray," said the evangelist. 

"Blessed God, we believe the angels have heard it. 
There is new joy in heaven because of it. We thank 
Thee for this smTender to the Master. Now do Thou 
send us out to live as Jesus would have us hve. In 
the name of Jesus" — while he waited the stillness 
deepened — "Amen." 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 111 

Most remarkable of all was the final night in the 
Temple, February 17. The greatest throng of all 
was present, probably more than 3,500 people. 

Those who had signed the cards which have been 
passed in the meetings night after night were seated 
in reserved chairs, and they filled most of the seats 
on the floor and overflowed into the first gallery. 
After the short address to them the evangelist asked 
the reporters to take seats upon the platform, and he 
himself, with Charles M. Alexander, the director of 
music; Ralph Norton, the superintendent of per- 
sonal workers, and the Rev. Dr. Ford C. Ottman, 
took his place in the space by the reporters' tables. 

Then Dr. Chapman told the converts that they must 
join the church. ^' I don't care which one, so you join 
the church of your choice at once." The choir, 300 
of whom were on the platform and in the gallery, and 
the congregation in the top gallery, began to sing, 
Ernest Naftzger directing them. One hymn followed 
another — ^'I Surrender All," "All Hail the Power of 
Jesus' Name," "I Need Thee Every Hour." For 
about forty minutes they sang, and all the time the 
people were filing in single line past the platform. 
Each got a smile, a handshake, and a booklet of direc- 
tions, with the portraits of Dr. Chapman and Mr. 
Alexander. Sometimes the line was stopped for a 
minute while the leaders whispered some special mes- 
sage into the ear of a man whom they recognized as 
making his start under difficult circumstances. 

After 800 had taken the hand of the evangelist, he 



112 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

renewed the invitation. ''Those of you in the gal- 
leries who have never taken your church letters to a 
Boston church, and who wish from now on to count 
for Christ in this city, and those who have not signed 
cards and are not members of churches anywhere, but 
who will start to-night, will you take your places with 
the others who have accepted Christ?" There were 
seventy-five who responded to this invitation, some of 
whom made their way down from the upper gallery. 

Several of the visitors who had been watching the 
scene from the platform were asked to say each a 
word, and the Rev. Dr. Fred Winslow Adams, of 
Schenectady, N. Y.; Editor Amos R. Wells, of the 
Christian Endeavor World; Luther D. Wishard, of 
Vancouver, for many years a leader in the college 
Y. M. C. A. work; Editor John Bancroft Devins, of 
the New York Observer; the Rev. Dr. Ford C. Ott- 
man, of the corps of evangelists, and, finally, Mr. 
Alexander, all came in with their testimonies. Then 
one of the beginners was called upon, a Lynn busi- 
ness man. ''You've been a Christian a week," said 
Dr. Chapman, "how do you like it?" "It's all 
right," was the prompt reply. 

There were a multitude of incidents that must be 
passed over without mention. Mr. Alexander was 
delighted one night when two little girls made their 
way to the front, after the meeting had been closed. 
They mounted a chair, and called to him. "Why, 
it's Fanny," he said. It was a child who had sung 
for him all alone in the Royal Albert Hall in Lon- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 113 

don, before an audience of 12,000 children. The 
family are now Hying in one of the Boston suburbs 
and ''Fanny" had to sing ''The Sunbeam Song" at 
one of the Tremont Temple services. 

It was noted by many that the titles of most of 
Dr. Chapman's sermons were sermons in themselves. 
"And Peter," "And So He Made It Over," "The 
Second Mile," "Here Is My Signature," "And Judas 
Iscariot," these were some of them. 

Mr. Alexander, at a fitting time, told a large com- 
pany of men "the best thing that he had heard in 
Boston." "It was soon after the noonday meetings 
began," he said, "that two men were leaving the 
Temple together. 'Same old story,' said one. 'Yes,' 
replied the other, 'and the same old results.'" 

THE "HIGH DAYS" IN THE TEMPLE 

In no particular did the evangelist-in-chief display 
greater strategic ability than in the arrangement of 
his series of "Days" so that in the weeks of evangel- 
ism there always was some great event just ahead. 
Thus public interest was sustained. It was made dif- 
ficult for enthusiasm to wane. As one summit was 
scaled there loomed in front another that was to be 
climbed. The first of these "high days " was "Flower 
Day," February 3; the second, "Church Day," Feb- 
ruary 9; then came two tgoether, the "Day of Rejoic- 
ing," which was appointed for the Lincoln centenary, 
February 12, and "Education Day," February 13, 
which was kept in the People's Temple; in rapid sue- 



114 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

cession there followed ^'Mothers' Day," celebrated on 
the afternoon of Thursday, the 18th, in Tremont Tem- 
ple; ^'New England Day" — this was devised, how- 
ever, by Dr. Conrad, in the course of the campaign, 
not scheduled in advance — which came on the 19th, 
and ''Gospel Song Day," February 20th, both cele- 
brated in the Mechanics Building series of meetings. 

The ''days" kept in the Temple will be considered 
in this chapter and the others elsewhere, in the course 
of this narrative. It must be remembered that while 
the central group, with headquarters in the Temple, 
were observing these days, they were being kept, as 
well, in all the other groups, twenty-four in number, 
and that in some cases the district celebration was as 
general and upon as large a scale as the central. 

Flower Day was a fitting prelude to the disclosure 
that became more and more clear as the campaign 
went on, that these revivalists had a message that 
was social as well as personal, that they were empha- 
sizing not one question, but two: "What shall I do 
to be saved?" and "Am I my brother's keeper?" 
that "The King's Business" had a practical side that 
was to have illustration in deeds of charity, benevo- 
lence, and fraternity. 

Money and flowers had been given in great quanti- 
ties for the celebration of this first special day, and, 
on the evening before, the churches in which the ser- 
vices were held throughout Greater Boston were 
adorned wuth some of the offerings in token of the 
fragrant significance of the day that was to follow, 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 115 

and as a mute appeal for additional contributions. 
Then on Wednesday, the 3d, these flowers were car- 
ried to every institution and home that could be 
reached, and, in many instances, revival singers and 
speakers went with the distributing committees and 
spoke words of cheer to the despondent, and sang 
the songs of Zion to the sick. To the hospitals, the 
prisons, the homes for the aged, the asylums, and 
the houses where there were old, infirm, or sick 
people, these representatives of ^^The King" carried 
their beautiful tokens of love. 

Blossoms were placed beside 900 beds in the nine 
hospitals of the South End, and 125 shut-ins were 
remembered. There were 1,200 bouquets and potted 
plants distributed in Somerville, including those 
left at 225 private houses. In Watertown the flowers 
were given by the school children, and many touch- 
ing incidents occurred at the homes of the sick and 
the poor which were visited. It was the same story 
in Cambridge, Medford, Quincy, Everett, and all the 
other districts. 

The committee of distribution of the Tremont 
Temple group were busy from 10:30 in the morning 
until 4:30 in the afternoon. They went in an auto- 
mobile from hospital to asylum, to jail, and so on 
their round, and at each place they found a commit- 
tee awaiting them, who received the quota of flowers 
for the institution and went with them from door to 
door, and bed to bed, or cell to cell, as the case might 
be. The automobile stopped at the Massachusetts 



116 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

General Hospital, the Charles Street jail, the Hull 
Street dispensary, the Lying-in Hospital, the Booth- 
by Hospital, the Massachusetts Infant Asylum, the 
Colored Woman's Home, the Relief station, the Eye 
and Ear Infirmary, the Revere Street House, and the 
homes of many shut-ins. Potted plants were left 
whenever possible at the homes of such aged people 
as were able to care for them. 

Long before the series of revival meetings ended 
the leaders of the movement had begun to suggest 
and develop plans for the conserving of the results 
of the campaign. It was for the adoption of these 
plans that "Church Day" was devised. On that day, 
Tuesday, February 9, there were forenoon services 
in nearly every one of the participating churches, 
some of them held as early as six in the morning, 
and most of them at 9:30. These separate services 
enabled the workers to get into close personal touch 
with their hearers. In most cases the pastors seized 
the opportunity to solidify the fluid impulses of 
their parishioners and to lay the first timbers of an 
organization that might mean a sort of permanent 
revivalism in their respective churches. 

Then in the afternoon in the Tremont Temple ser- 
vice reports were heard from these churches and tes- 
timonies were made by people outside of Greater 
Boston that stirred the pastors and members of the 
co-operating churches to renewed enthusiasm for 
the work. 

Dr. Conrad spoke for Park Street church in glow- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 117 

ing terms, and of the Temple Street Methodist, the 
pastor, the Rev. Fred B. Fisher, said: 

'^I was amazed at the number of those who came 
to our meeting. It was the best service for our 
church that we have had during the revival. When 
I asked for the cards to be signed, and for the people 
to walk down and make a rededication of their lives 
by signing the cards on the altar, scores responded. 
I believe it means new power and new life for us 
in that church." 

^^ During our meeting in Tremont Temple," said 
Dr. Taylor, ^'several prominent business men came 
to me and said: 'You will have to excuse us. Dr. Tay- 
lor. We have to go out and call on men in their 
homes now, men who are unsaved. We must try to 
bring them to Christ.' There could be nothing more 
significant to me than these business men going out 
at 10 o'clock in the morning to bring men to Christ." 

Dr. Chapman called upon Bishop Mallalieu to say 
something. He first told of an experience he had in 
Kentucky illustrative of the value of 'Hhe circula- 
tion of the holy scriptures in men's pockets," and 
then said: 

^'I have just received a letter from Cape Cod. A 
number of Congregationalist young women down 
there wanted me to send them fifty of the Alexander 
song books, and a few minutes ago I bought the books, 
and they are on their way to Cape Cod. Just think 
of it — a Methodist bishop supplying a Congrega- 
tional church with Presbyterian song books!" 



118 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

People in the audience were then asked to tell how 
they had been helped by reading the reports of the 
meeting in the newspapers. The first man on his 
feet said: ^^I am glad to report that the blessed influ- 
ence of these meetings has reached Connecticut, as 
far south as Norwich." 

A pastor from Bridge water said: ''We have be- 
come interested in the revival by reading the news- 
papers. I talked at the state farm Sunday, and 
600 men listened with tears in their eyes. We are 
interested there in the Pocket Testament League. 
I wish some one would supply those men with Tes- 
taments." Dr. Chapman promised that all the 
Testaments needed should be supplied. 

Among others who spoke were men and women 
from all parts of Massachusetts, from Maine, New 
Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Richmond, 
Virginia, and Kansas. 

Then came the ''Day of Rejoicing," a day which 
to many was the most significant and impressive of 
all the twenty-six days that the evangelists were in 
the city, marked, as it was, by the distribution of 
great quantities of food and considerable amounts of 
money and many orders for coal among the poor and 
by a service in the Temple in the afternoon at which 
the address was made by Commander Evangeline C. 
Booth, of New York City, who is in charge of the 
work in the United States of the Salvation Army. 

This wholesale administration to the comfort of 
the poor was carefully planned and carried out with 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 119 

a high degree of business precision. The nutshell 
statement of the plan is this: A general committee, 
with Mr. Allan C. Emery as chairman, at the head, 
assisted by officials of the associated charities and 
the Salvation Army; a sub-committee in each of the 
twenty-five groups, to manage the raising of money, 
food, and fuel in each district; a depot in each dis- 
trict whither the donations were sent, and where 
they were packed and labeled ready for distribution; 
the pastors of the churches participating in the 
meetings to select the people in their respective par- 
ishes to whom these gifts were to be carried, the 
number suggested for each parish to be five, but that 
number to be considered as a guide rather than as a 
limit; then on the morning of the day itself the actual 
distribution to be made by groups of men and women 
selected for the purpose, who, in their discretion, 
were to offer prayer and conduct little song services 
in the homes they visited. 

The plan worked. Merchants, as well as individ- 
uals, gave cheerfully and generously. The largest 
single gift of money was $75 and the next was $50. 
Coal dealers gave hberally. In the ^'Rejoicing Day" 
envelopes there were found sums ranging from $5 
down to five cents. There were two gifts in this 
latter sum, one with a note that read: "It isn't 
much, but it comes from Mabel, who loves the poor." 
One baker sent 1,500 loaves of bread, 60 to each of 
the groups. Paper bags and twine were given. 
Baskets for carrying the packages were loaned. 



120 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

On the evening before Gilbert Hall looked like a 
big country general store, well-dressed women being 
pushed about by perspiring men in short sleeves; 
drivers bringing great strings of baskets; clerks busy 
with pad and pencil, and the pastor trying to have a 
general oversight, and plied with half a dozen ques- 
tions in each ear and pushed from side to side by 
everybody, without regard to clerical dignity, and in 
a way that proved him "a. good fellow" — that was 
the picture. 

Over on the other side were piles of clothing — 
boots, shoes, hats, cloaks, and among them some 
blankets, the destination of which was already de- 
termined. They were going to the Florence Critten- 
den Home on South Russell Street, where the patients 
were in sad need of them. 

The contents of the average basket may be inven- 
toried thus : One can of peaches, one pound of coffee, 
one-half pound of tea, two pounds of sugar, one box 
of prepared oats or other breakfast food, one box of 
good biscuit, one-half peck of potatoes, a squash, 
turnips, and other vegetables, and a few oranges or 
other fruit. Where it was known that delicacies 
would be of aid in cases of illness, jellies were added. 

The outcome was that a number of families, esti- 
mated variously at from 1,200 to 2,000, were aided 
in this substantial manner. It is figured that these 
families would average five persons each, so that the 
number of individuals was large. 

Stories of privation and utter penury, in many 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 121 

cases, were found to be true to the letter by the 
committees who catalogued the places to be visited. 
In some instances it was found that the grafter 
was watching for a chance to profit in the distribu- 
tion, and had applied to be listed in three and four 
districts. The vast majority, however, were the hard- 
working, discouraged, and grateful poor. The Sal- 
vation Army sent in the names of scores of the 
needy. In many instances the name to the initiated 
stood for a tragedy. It might be that of a bread- 
winner, maimed or ill, which meant that his family, 
living just a week from poverty, dire and complete, 
was suffering for food. 

Also the Boston Consumptives' Hospital sent in a 
list. The annotations were significant as ^' Widow 
with three children," and in the margin, "She has 
tuberculosis." One scrutinized the list and won- 
dered if the skill of the twentieh century, do all the 
wonders it might, could snatch the multitudes from 
the great white plague. 

There was no distinction of creed or color. Down 
on North Street the messengers of the evangelists 
went where not a word of English was spoken, and 
soft-eyed Italian mothers looked the thanks that the 
messengers could understand, although they could 
not interpret the thanks that were spoken. 

The unknown and unvaunted heroisms of the poor 
were revealed in more than a few instances. The 
proud Puritan spirit that had starved out a mis- 
erable existence for years on a bare pittance was 



122 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

melted to tears, while the recipient of her first "char- 
ity" made it clear that she had never asked for 
help. Almost under the shadow of the State House, 
on Beacon Hill, was found an old woman in an old- 
fashioned dress and shawl, whose withered hands 
shook with emotion when she realized that she had 
been remembered. The homes in which black de- 
spair reigned, and the homes in which grim courage 
was fighting a losing battle, and the homes where 
disease and accident had stretched the fathers and 
the mothers upon beds of pain were all visited. And 
no one in this world knows whether the donor, the 
deliverer, or the receiver of the things that were 
given got the greater blessing. 

In the afternoon of the ''Day of Rejoicing" came 
the great rally in the Temple. When the doors were 
opened the building was filled in a twinkling and 
other thousands were left outside unable to secure 
admission. Nearly every seat upon the main floor 
was occupied by ticket holders, the pastors of churches 
in Greater Boston having been supplied with three 
tickets each. At the organ was the Salvation Army 
band, and many Salvation Army officers sat with the 
band and upon the platform. 

A male chorus on the platform was composed of 
the Gospel singers of the evangelical campaign. The 
director of this chorus was Owen F. Pugh, and the 
members were William McEwan, George A. Fisher, 
F. M. Lamb, W. H. Collisson, Chester F. Harris, 
D. Lansing Spooner, Lawrence Greenwood, W. W. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 123 

Weaver, John Reynolds, Irving A. Steinel, Benjamin 
F. Butts, Lewis E. Smith, Clifton Powers, Frank 
Dickson, Ralph Atkinson, Charles A. Pearce, and 
A. W. Spooner. 

Adjutant Mabie, of Commander Booth's staff, sang 
^'The City Four-Square," and Dr. Chapman told the 
audience that at the time of the great school fire Mr. 
Mabie had sung this song in Collingwood. 

The Rev. Dr. Herbert S. Johnson came forward, 
holding up a picture of Dr. Chapman about which 
he told this story: ^^A few days ago a policeman sent 
$2 which we were to use for the help of some person. 
I asked Colonel Gifford to suggest the neediest case 
of which he knew, and he told me of a family where 
there is a blind mother caring for two children and 
an old man, over 70, dying of an incurable disease, 
who now has a broken collar bone. The widow alone, 
who is the mother of the children, is able to bring in 
any money. 

^'I offer these pictures for sale in the aid of this, the 
saddest case of which I know. To-day, at the noon 
service, I offered them at any price. One man gave 
me $100 for one. There are only thirty-five in all." 
At the end of the service Dr. Johnson said that the 
policeman's $2 had so far secured $149 to help the 
family and pay the funeral expenses that are coming. 

Then the Salvation Army got such an ovation as it 
never before received in Boston. Commander Evan- 
geline C. Booth was applauded again and again be- 
fore she spoke, and at the end of an address that held 



124 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

the great audience motionless for nearly an hour and 
a half she was given the Chautauqua salute, and 3,500 
hands draped with handkerchiefs were lifted high, 
''rearing the white monument" to the memory of her 
mother. Then, at the suggestion of Dr. Chapman, a 
collection was taken for the work she represents, 
although she had come to Boston without any stipu- 
lation of remuneration or expenses. 

She was introduced by the evangelist ''as the in- 
heritor of her father's greatness and of her mother's 
genius," and when Dr. Conrad presented her to the 
audience he referred to her as representing the organ- 
ization which is nearest of all earthly agencies to the 
spirit of Christ who had compassion on the mul- 
titude. 

Miss Booth arose, Bible in hand, and began to 
speak of the tidal wave of salvation now sweeping 
over the city, and announced her subject, "The 
Power of Music." She referred to Mr. Alexander, 
and told the story of W. T. Stead, of the English 
Review of Reviews, who went to Wales to study a 
revival, and of his reply to questions: "Could we 
have such a revival in London?" with "Yes, if you 
can learn to sing." She told many stories of the 
influence for good of the hymns of faith. 

"A little time ago some one said to me that he 
had conceived the idea of writing the history of the 
songs of the church. Exquisite idea! But nobody 
can do that. The sobs of the penitent and the sacri- 
fices of the saints, the courage of the cross-bearers 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 125 

and the prayers of the children and the weakness 
leaning on might of the aged, are in the songs of the 
church. What wounds they have healed, what tears 
they have dried, what zeal they have fired! Not an 
angel on high could write the story of the hymns 
of the faith. To write these songs cost Christ the 
shedding of His blood." 

Down upon her knees by the little platform stand 
went Miss Booth as she told the story of the writing 
of "Just As I Am." "A young woman, 18 years of 
age, comes home from a ball. She throws off her 
opera cloak and forgets to close the shutters. The 
mirror leaps with the stars reflected from the gems 
in her hair, and from the brilliants with which her 
gown is encrusted. The ball was beautiful, but there 
is an ache in her heart. The morning sun streams 
into her room while she writes and blots the song 
with her tears. 

"Two years ago to-day ten Salvation Army officers, 
seven girls and three men, in the coldest night of the 
winter, and in a wind blowing fifty miles an hour, 
went down in the Larchmont disaster. And the 
survivors told us that they were pointing sinners to 
Jesus in the storm, and telling them they were not 
to go down, but up, up to God, up to the Savior I 
long to see. 

"I want to see John Howard when the last pris- 
oner shall have been reformed, and Florence Night- 
ingale when the last wound shall have been stanched, 
and John Huss when the last martyr fire shall have 



126 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

burned out, and William Penn when the last heathen 
shall have been civilized, and Frances Willard when 
the last lost girl shall have been won, and your great 
President Lincoln (applause) when the last slave 
shall have been made free, and my father and my 
mother, but most of all I want, and I want all of 
you, to see Jesus." 

It was a real genius that devised ^^ Mothers' Day," 
and it was genius that carried out the idea in a way 
that was most beautiful and touching. The Temple, 
as always, was full, but this time the people did not 
''rush" the entrances and corridors. Carefully the 
feet of aged women, and men who came as guests, 
were guided into and out of the building, and while 
thousands of old and infirm people were present, 
there was not an accident to mar the happiness of 
the occasion. Carriages and automobiles, provided 
by friends and relatives of the guests of the day, and 
vehicles hired by the committee in charge, bore the 
visitors to and from the building. Some of the older 
people had to be carried in and out. Some were pres- 
ent who could not hear, but grateful that sight re- 
mained; others, blind, were yet able to enjoy songs 
and sermon. As they passed the portals each was 
given a white carnation, and often the flowers were 
no whiter than the hair of the hearers. 

A wave of emotion swept over the strong and well 
as they saw the lame of limb and the dim of eye mak- 
ing their way cautiously to the seats that had been 
reserved for them. Many of the faces that were most 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 127 

seamed with the Unes of care wore the serene look of 
content and peace. Voices that quavered and quiv- 
ered sang the old hymns that were selected for their 
familiarity, and many who could not sing whispered 
through the well-known and well-loved words. 

Seated upon the platform were Mrs. Ethan E. 
Strong, 93 years old, 76 Gainsborough Street, but 
with a bright eye and fresh voice, and Mrs. William 
Butler, of Lynn, in her 89th year, the first woman 
missionary that ever went to India, whom Dr. Clark 
referred to as "raised up of God to do a work for 
God in a benighted land," and for whom the white- 
handkerchief salute was given, at the suggestion of 
Dr. Chapman. 

Among the other aged people present were Mrs. 
Josiah Tilton, of Reading; Mrs. Abby E. Rockwood, 90 
Walnut Avenue, Roxbury, and Edward F. Reed, of 
Somerville, 90 years old; I. S. Fay, Adams Street, 
Dorchester, 89; Mrs. Mary Boyd, of Jamaica Plain, 
88; William Glen, of Somerville, and Deacon Edward 
Kendall, 139 Magazine Street, Cambridge, 87; War- 
ren G. Comey, Linden Place, Quincy; Philip Marble, 
of Maiden, and James Roth, of Boston, 86. 

Mr. Alexander took charge of the music, and, while 
all present could not lend their voices to swell the vol- 
ume of "He Will Hold Me Fast," there were very 
few that did not join in "Jesus Lover of My Soul." 
Then he asked for the oldest people, and from all 
parts of the house came the replies — "80," "84," 
"87," "89," "90," and at last "93." That was 



128 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Mrs. Strong, and she got the bouquet for the oldest 
mother present, and the father's prize went to Edwin 
F. Read, of Winter Hill, Somerville, 90 years of age. 

But not only were there present mothers and 
fathers, but grandparents, great-grandparents and 
great-great-grandparents. The ages of the mothers 
ran from 40 to 93, and those of the fathers from 50 to 
90. It was estimated that the combined ages of the 
mothers and fathers, 3,000 in all, aggregated more 
than 150,000 years. 

Dr. Chapman said it was the most remarkable and 
inspiring '' Mothers' Meeting" in his evangelistic 
experience, and Dr. Francis E. Clark, head of the 
United Society of Christian Endeavor, who has ad- 
dressed meetings in most of the world's great cities, 
said it was in many respects the most wonderful he 
had ever seen. 

The most pathetic and impressive scene occurred 
just after Dr. Chapman gave out the requests 
for prayer. A man over 80 years old arose and 
said: "Please pray for my brother, 79 years old, in 
Worcester." 

From all parts of the auditorium came tremulous 
requests from mothers for prayers for erring sons, 
grandsons, and daughters. Many of the mothers 
broke down before their petition was finished. To 
relieve the strain, Dr. Chapman asked the audience 
to bow their heads in prayer. 

The great-grandmothers were asked to stand and 
be counted, and according to Mr. Alexander's tally 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 129 

there were ninety. Mrs. Strong was among the 
half-dozen who rose when the great-great-grand- 
mothers were called for. 

A number of the oldest men paid brief tributes to 
the memory of their mothers. Among those was a 
man 84 years old, who said his mother died nearly 
seventy-four years ago and that he remembered her. 

Dr. Chapman's sermon was a tribute to mother- 
hood. His text was Proverbs xxxi. 28: ^^Her chil- 
dren rise up to call her blessed." ^'The Bible is 
woman's glory," said the preacher. ^'It always exalts 
her. No one has such an influence as the mother. 

^^Give me every mother in the city of Boston right 
with God and the men will cease their wanderings, 
the boys will turn their faces toward home, and Bos- 
ton will become a veritable paradise. 

"But some of you have been worldly, some indiffer- 
ent. You never can have the text true of you until 
you realize your God-given position and understand 
the importance of your ministry. You never can 
know what the result will be. Don't be discouraged 
— yours is the greatest power next to the power of 
God, — yours is the best name next to the name of 
Jesus." 

As Dr. Chapman closed his sermon his daughter, 
Mrs. Goodson, sang the "Mother Song," and while 
she repeated the chorus, hundreds of hands, at the 
invitation of Dr. Chapman, were lifted in request for 
prayer. 

As a matter of convenience, reference may be made 



130 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

at this point to a service for ministers only, which 
was held in the Bromfield Street Methodist church, 
on the morning of February 17. There were more 
than 400 clergymen present, and in the most solemn 
manner they prayerfully reconsecrated themselves 
to the work of the Gospel. They were absolutely 
unanimous in their approval, expressed in vigorous 
applause, of Dr. Chapman's contention that the only 
story that would tell in the pulpit and interest con- 
gregations and save souls was the story of Jesus 
Christ. And they promised, that day, to be true to 
their calling in private, in public, in the pulpit and 
in prayer. 

Scores of the ministers testified that they had 
received a powerful stimulus from the evangelistic 
meetings and from the accounts of them published 
in the newspapers. Some had learned that the only 
way to preach was ^'to preach the Gospel straight." 
Others had received "si new vision of Jesus." Every 
one who spoke was inspired and helped to greater 
things as a result of the revival. 

^'Give up preaching for the next few months," Dr. 
Chapman told them. ^'Take an outline and spend 
an hour in prayer over it and then enter the pulpit 
and tell the story of Jesus. People have had too 
much preaching. It is better for us to spend less 
time in preparing sermons in an intellectual way 
and more time in prayer. Then we shall preach out 
of a full heart." 

Among the ministers who told how their towns and 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 131 

cities were being stirred to better things was one 
from a city in New Brunswick, 500 miles away. 
Another came from Richmond, Vermont, 290 miles 
from Boston. Fully half of the ministers were from 
distant points in Massachusetts and from other New 
England states. Testimonies were given first by 
the ministers from out of town as to how the revival 
had helped their people, and how the influence had 
reached them. Then the Boston pastors told briefly 
how they and their people had been lifted. 

A Boston minister told of the reconciliation of three 
sisters who had not spoken to each other for years. 
He said he had done his best for five years to bring 
them together, but failed, and had become discour- 
aged. The Sunday night before they came together, 
and on their knees asked each other's forgiveness. 
Others told of the influence of the meetings on their 
own lives and in their own families. 

MEETINGS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS 

Two services were arranged in connection with the 
"Simultaneous Evangelistic Meetings" for the stu- 
dents and teachers of Greater Boston. One was 
held on "Education Day," Saturday, February 13, 
in the People's Temple, in Columbus Avenue, the 
other in Sanders Theater of Harvard University, on 
the afternoon of Friday, February 19. 

A. E. Winship presided at the service first named, 
and there were seated upon the platform, in addition 
to the evangelist and singer and their helpers, Bishop 



132 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Hamilton, President Huntington, and ex-President 
Warren, of Boston University; the Rev. Dr. L. B. 
Bates, Principal Albert C. Boyden, Prof. Anna J. 
McKeag, of Wellesley College; George H. Martin, sec- 
retary of the state board of education; Walter S. Par- 
ker and President F. W. Hamilton, of Tufts College. 

As Dr. Chapman proceeded with his sermon it was 
seen that while he was addressing an audience differ- 
ent from any that he had addressed in Boston, he 
was speaking in the same terms and manner that 
had characterized his sermons in Tremont Temple. 

He began with an expression of appreciation of the 
presence of some in the audience that were not 
identified in the movement for which he stood, and 
of many who represented churches standing for a 
system of doctrine different from his own. He also 
referred to the attendance of Roman Catholics as 
giving him pleasure. 

At the end of the sermon he thanked them for 
"the kindly way in which you have looked into my 
face, and for the waves of sympathy which have 
come from you and broken at my feet." 

The text was Luke xi. 1: "Lord, teach us to pray." 

"Prayer is the most essential experience for the 
Christian," he said. "We need some one to teach us 
to pray. Jesus is that great teacher who will lead us 
into the meaning of the mysteries of prayer. 

"Once I heard Patti sing and I thought that one 
with a voice might thrill multitudes, if taught by 
such a singer. Once I stood in the pulpit of the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 133 

great Spurgeon, and as I listened to the descriptions of 
the mighty winner of souls I wished that I might have 
such a teacher. When I read of the wonders done by 
Paganini with but one string upon his violin, I thought 
that even I might learn to play with such a teacher. 

'^ Everything is in the teacher. So when you come 
to Jesus asking that he teach you to pray you have 
come to the fountain head. 

"The New Testament is our book of instruction. 
You would not be interested in Emerson if you came 
to liim as you come to the Bible, and read at hap- 
hazard, a little here and there. Nor could you ever 
learn to understand Shakespeare if you read him in 
that fashion. Study the New Testament as a text- 
book on prayer. 

Proceeding, the speaker found the essentials for 
successful teaching in patience with the pupil, sympa- 
thy with his frailties and ignorance, and in love, illus- 
trating these with a number of incidents. All these 
qualities he found in Jesus as the teacher of prayer. 

"What a power you might be in the future of this 
land if you could win your pupils to the highest 
ideals. Do you pray over them? Lord, teach us to 
pray. Thou didst teach George Muller. Teach us. 
Thou didst teach D. L. Moody. And there is not 
a teacher here who does not excel D. L. Moody as 
he was when he began as a shoe clerk in this city. I 
wish I knew where that store was in which he began; 
I think I would like to go into it and there reconse- 
crate myself to the service of his Lord. 



134 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

^* There was once a little boy who chased a butter- 
fly on his way to school and got lost in the rows of 
corn in a great cornfield. He could not find his way 
out, and at last he got down on his little knees be- 
tween the rows of corn to pray. 'Our father/ he 
began, when his own father's arms were about him. 

''That boy who knelt in the corn rows lived to be- 
come a college president, and when he was sick unto 
death and lay on his bed, supposed to be asleep, the 
doctor said: 'He is dying.' He opened his eyes and 
asked: 'Am I dying?' 'Yes, Mr. President,' was the 
reply, 'you have about a half-hour to live.' 'Then,' 
said the dying man, 'I must spend the time in prayer.' 
And when they helped hun to his knees at the side of 
his bed he prayed for all his students until weakness 
overcame him and he was helped back. And nearly 
every student in that institution became a Christian 
after the death of that praying teacher." 

Of the 2,000 people, teachers, and instructors in the 
public schools and other educational institutions of 
Greater Boston and students in these schools and 
colleges who had heard this sermon, about one-fourth, 
including school principals and teachers, some of 
whom had become veterans in the service, and pupils 
in young manhood and womanhood, came forward, 
at its conclusion. 

Dr. Chapman came down from the platform, and 
with Bishop John W. Hamilton standing beside him, 
offered to all who would accept them assurance 
cards, containing the "whosoever verse," John iii. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 135 

16, with a blank space for the writing in of the name 
of the owner instead of the words ^Hhe world" and 
^'whosoever.'' 

^'I gave out 500 of these cards," said Dr. Chapman 
at the close of the service. ^^ There was fully that 
number of people who come to me for them." 

In Cambridge great things had been wrought in 
the district campaign under the leading of the Rev. 
Henry W. Stough and D. Lansing Spooner, his singer 
and music director. Dr. Chapman had gone over to 
the university city one morning to conduct a ^' Quiet 
Hour" service in the First Baptist church, which 
was crowded in spite of the early hour and the heavy 
rain which was falling. 

But it w^as arranged that one meeting should be 
held in the interest of the students of America's 
greatest university and that it should be held within 
the confines of the institution itself. 

Of this student service Bishop Mallalieu said: ''It 
was one of the most impressive services I ever at- 
tended. The stillness was profound, the air seemed 
to be permeated with a mysterious intensity. Dr. 
Chapman made a very simple address in conversa- 
tional style, just common Saxon stuff, straight as a 
ray of light, without a needless word. The singing 
was vibrant, strong, and musical. The mayor of the 
city was present. When the students went out there 
was no levity. They seemed to be in a serious mood." 

Almost every one of the seats in Sanders Theater 
was taken and among the students present were 



136 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Chinese, Japanese, men from Germany, Siam, and 
many other quarters of the world. Withal there was 
a considerable fraction of the real Harvard present, 
the men that give the university its tone and distinc- 
tive character. Dr. Chapman himself said: ''It was 
the finest university service I ever held, and I have 
held many." On the platform was Prof. E. C. Moore, 
Mayor Wardwell, and Dr. Conrad. 

The evangelist was introduced to the audience by 
the Rev. Prof. E. C. Moore, who emphasized in his 
address such fundamentals as: ''Religion takes the 
form of service and preparation of men for life. It 
is loyalty; it is personal allegiance; it is a great 
consecration." 

Dr. Chapman said that "after all, university men 
are not different from other men and I am going to 
forget that you are in college and just talk to you 
about your need of the salvation that is in Christ 
Jesus. There are two kinds of sins: sins of igno- 
rance and sins of presumption. A man who sins 
again and again presumes on the mercy of God. God 
is infinite in His mercy, but the man who thus sins 
has the remembrance always with him and he is guilty 
of the presumptuous sin of which the Psalmist speaks. 

"Not a man in the world can afford to disregard 
the fact that sin weakens the will. It undermines 
the man, softens the fiber of his character. 

"Many of you are studying social conditions. You 
know what they are, and I know that you will heed 
one who has also studied them and knows them better 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 137 

than you younger men. I tell you, fellows, you can't 
sin without wrecking the house that you live in. God 
will deliver us from presumptuous sins by keeping 
us busy, by diverting our attention to something 
aside from our sins and temptation, by wooing and 
winning us to so walk with Him that we shall turn 
from evil and spurn the sin that once fascinated and 
subdued us." 

And then, at the end, the speaker thanked the stu- 
dents for the courtesy of the reception that they had 
given him and expressed the hope that some day he 
might be able to plead the cause of the Harvard men 
whom that day he had seen and come to respect. 

Two of the young men at the rear of the theater 
that afternoon had been looking for fun in the ser- 
vice. When they went out, one of them was in tears, 
^'He's dead right, that's all," was his only comment. 

MIDNIGHT IN SCOLLAY SQUARE 

It was designed by the promoters of the Boston 
revival that meetings should be held wherever there 
could be gathered an audience that would listen to the 
preaching of the Gospel and the singing of the songs 
of Zion. So it came about that there were services 
in beautiful churches in the Back Bay, the ^' Quiet 
Hours," when the morning sun made glorious the 
scenes of the Redeemer's ministry, which cunning 
artists had wrought in glass for the adornment of 
splendid auditoriums; services day and night in Tre- 
mont Temple, centrally located, known far and near 



138 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

as 'Hhe stranger's Sabbath home," services in Faneuil 
Hall at noonday, which market men and merchants, 
too distant to go to Tremont Temple, might attend 
without loss of more time than a lunch hour; services 
in the grand hall of the Mechanics Building, the lar- 
gest hall in the city; and services conducted by Mr. and 
Mrs. William Asher, Mr. Lawrence Greenwood, and 
others of the evangelistic company, in shops, jails, the 
Chelsea Soldiers' Home, aboard ship, and on the piers 
of the harbor front, in hospital wards, anywhere and 
everywhere that the ^'sky pilots" could get a hearing. 

But the midnight meetings in the Theater Comique 
in Scollay Square were different from all the others. 
There were two of these services, held, respectively, 
from 11 to 12, on the nights of Friday, January 29, 
and Friday, February 5. In these meetings Dr. Chap- 
man and Mr. Alexander faced the most motley crowds 
that they saw in Boston. Their hearers were lured, 
most of them, from the saloons and the street corners, 
by the band of the Salvation Army, which marched 
through the streets and led the way into the theater, 
just at the close of the regular performance, and by a 
transparency bearing the sign, "Rolls and Coffee 
Free." They went in with a shuffling step, not quite 
certain of their ground; they sat down and looked 
furtively about the bedizened room and waited for 
the next thing to "turn up," hoping, probably, that 
it might be the rolls and coffee. 

They numbered 500 in all ; grizzled old men, known 
in all the district as regular habitues of the slums. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 139 

young men, altogether proud to be called ^^ sports/' 
begrimed and unkempt middle-aged men, recogniz- 
able at a glance as enrolled in the great company of 
the ^^down and outs," young fellows in dirty sweaters 
and turned-up coat collars, women and girls, some 
of them never visible by daylight, and, withal, a 
few who wore costly garments, well-groomed and 
respectable. 

The Salvation Army band went in and took their 
seats down in front. The leader stood up and an- 
nounced that while they were waiting for the arrival 
of the evangelists the band would play "Stand Up 
for Jesus." While the band was playing Dr. Chap- 
man and Mr. Alexander and their party came in and 
took seats in plain, wooden chairs on the stage. Then 
the soul-saving service went on with snap and vigor 
for an hour. The hungry forgot about the "Coffee 
and Rolls Free," while Mrs. Asher and Ernest Naftz- 
ger sang a verse about, "Where Is M}^ Wandering Boy 
Tonight?" Then Dr. Chapman read the story of the 
prodigal son and lingered upon the verse, "But when 
he was a great way off his father saw him." He 
caught the attention of his audience by narrating 
some incidents of his travels, and then went on to 
preach a straight Gospel sermon, in his usual Tre- 
mont Temple fashion. The crowd listened. Here and 
there an eye lighted up. Several wiped away a tear 
stealthily. They grew still. Memories were stirred. 

Then, when the psychological moment had come, 
Mrs. Asher sang "Mother's Prayer," and Dr. Chap- 



140 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

man called out, '^How many of you are aching to 
hear a woman pray?" A hand was lifted timidly; 
then another. Dr. Chapman came down and moved 
rapidly through the aisles and in and out of the rows 
of seats, speaking to men and women, one by one. 
The first to ^'come" was a young fellow with un- 
kempt hair and a red bandanna knotted about his 
neck. He strode up to where Mrs. Asher and the 
Rev. Dr. Herbert S. Johnson were standing and got 
a warm grasp of the hand from each of them. Per- 
haps threescore thus gave token of their sense of 
need and desire for help. The last was a man of 
middle age, with a wude expanse of immaculate shirt 
bosom — something almost startling in that assem- 
blage — who walked dow^n the aisle, took the hand 
of the evangelist and walked back again to his seat. 
''Get on to the sparkler," said one of the men he 
passed. He v/ore a big diamond in that shirt front. 

Then Mrs. Asher offered a simple praj^er, the 
phrases inspired by her woman's intuition of the cir- 
cumstances of those among whom she was kneeling, 
circumstances, too, which had become familiar to her 
in her work w4th her husband as a rescue evangelist. 

Then came the rolls and coffee, dispensed by the 
Salvation Army lassies. ''I think we got about fifty," 
was Dr. Chapman's only comment when he left the 
theater. 

It was the same story, with variations, on the 
night of February 5. 

The Salvation Army band marched from Summer 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 141 

Street into Scollay Square playing '' Coronation/' and 
thousands followed in its wake. Some one who had 
been in the Theater Comique remarked that the last 
picture shown inside had been one of Appomattox, 
the last scene of the Civil War. It was fitting, for 
when the soldiers of the cross entered the theater 
it meant surrender for some of those who crowded 
into the room. 

The evangelistic party included Dr. Chapman and 
Mr. Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. Asher, the Rev. H. S. 
Johnson and Colonel Adam Gilford, of the Salvation 
Army. They were recognized as old friends, and 
there was a burst of applause as they made their way 
to the front. They looked out upon a room that was 
choked with people, wedged together so closely that 
it was impossible to be comfortable, and of a multi- 
tude of ^ Hypes." The poolroom frequenter was 
there, the Magdalen of the streets, dressed gaudily 
and cheaply, the half-intoxicated man, the idly curi- 
ous and the openly scornful, the shabby, the desti- 
tute, and a few of the genteel. Sprinkled about the 
room were the Salvation Army girls, with stripes of 
red on their poke bonnets. 

Everybody sang, although some of the voices were 
not very melodious, and not all the singers were cer- 
tain of the tune. But not in the Temple meetings 
had the singers been more sincere than were many 
of these. Dr. Chapman told the story of Calvary, 
and not in Boston did he make a more passionate 
or a more effective appeal. 



142 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Then the evangelist began to go through the audi- 
ence again and grapple, one at a time, with the people. 
Testimonies were called for. A young man got up 
and told his story. His language was not classical, 
but he said a lot and the listeners had no difficulty 
understanding what it was that he was trying to 
tell them. "I was no good a week ago," he said. 
"I came over from the theater where I was doing 
the clown with a gang to raise the Old Harry here. 
Then I got saved. I've been doin' better since. I 
know some of you fellers is ready to kid me on the 
outside, but I've stuck through it for a week now, 
and I'm goin' to stick like glue." 

The crowd applauded that. Many of them knew 
that on the Monday before, two days after the first 
Theater Comique meeting, this man had resigned his 
place as clown. 

Another man who attracted much attention was 
one who did not yield to the evangelist's invitation, 
and resisted all persuasion. He was a well-known 
character, ^^a regular rounder." It was evident 
that there was a struggle going on below the surface, 
and that the seed was sown in his soul that might 
later bear fruit. 

One by one and two by two the men came to the 
front and took their stand. Faces were changing in 
expression. Hope was coming to the surface where 
blank despair had long reigned. Sneers were melting 
into smiles. Hard faces were growing soft. The 
speaker had gripped first the memory, then the con- 



BOSTON'S AWAK5:NING 143 

science, then the heart, then the will. These hearers 
did not like to think, it cost them too much pain to 
think, but it was the evangelist's purpose to make 
them think, and he was succeeding. The hymns led 
by Mr. Alexander, the songs of Mrs. Asher, and the 
brief, pointed prayers, the handclasps of the workers, 
the invitations of the army lassies, all contributed 
to secure the prayed-for result. 

There were several girls who ^^came" this time. 
Boys in the teens ''came" with faces that bore the 
traces of dissipation, and disheveled men who had 
buffeted and fought the world for years. They num- 
bered more than a score in all, and each got a brotherly 
handclasp from the evangelists as the meeting ended. 
To make these "results" permanent is the work of 
the Salvation Army and of the pastors, who will keep 
watch of these ''converts" and aid them in all pos- 
sible ways to stand. 

THE QUIET HOURS 

No meetings of the revival series conformed quite 
so closely to the order of worship at the usual ser- 
vices of a Sabbath morning as did the "Quiet Hour" 
services which were held alternately in the Central 
Congregational church and the First Baptist church, 
located in the Back Bay, and whose pastors, respec- 
tively, are the Rev. Dr. John Hopkins Denison and 
the Rev. Dr. Francis H. Rowley. 

Of these services there were eight in all, omitting to 
count the meeting in Park Street church on the after- 



144 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

noon of January 27, to which reference has been made 
already in this narrative, and which was in the nature 
of a preHminary statement by the evangelist of his 
conception of the nature and purpose of revivals. On 
the following days, Thursday and Friday, of that 
same week there were services at 4 in the after- 
noon in the Central Congregational church and the 
First Baptist. There were three the next week, but 
the hour for them was changed to 10 in the morning. 
The one on Tuesday, February 2, was held in the 
First Baptist church, and the others in the Central 
church. Tuesday of the next week was ^'Church 
Day," when there were special morning services in 
all the co-operating churches, and on Wednesday, 
February 10, the evangelists went over to Cambridge 
and conducted a ^' Quiet Hour" in the First Baptist 
church there, where some of the best of the district 
meetings were going on under the direction of the 
Rev. Dr. Henry W. S tough. But on Thursday and 
Friday of that week there were morning meetings in 
the Back Bay churches. On Monday morning, the 
15th, Dr. Chapman was with the Presbyterian min- 
isters, and on Wednesday occurred the notable meet- 
ing of clergymen of all denominations and from all 
parts of New England in the Bromfield Street Meth- 
odist church. But on Thursday, the 18th, a final 
hour was arranged by request. 

None of the meetings of the evangelistic campaign 
was lacking in diginity, but the ^^ Quiet Hours" were 
attractive, especially to many who did not quite 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 145 

understand the ^'freedom" of a pointed personal 
appeal in a Tremont Temple service. The Back Bay 
churches were filled always, whether the services 
were held in the afternoon, as at first, or in the morn- 
ing, and the congregations represented often a large 
fraction' of the refinement and wealth of the city. 
At times admission was arranged by ticket and sev- 
eral times the auditorium proved inadequate for 
the numbers that sought admission. The predomi- 
nant note of these meetings was quietness. They 
were not somber and heavy. The Alexander hymns 
were used, and they were sung with vigor. The ser- 
mons were delivered with the same definiteness of 
application and the arrows were feathered with the 
same variety of illustration as characterized the 
evangelist's appeals elsewhere. But there was a 
subdued tone, a reverent stillness throughout these 
meetings that made them particularly impressive. 

At the meeting in the Central church on Thursday, 
January 28, the topic considered was love and sacri- 
fice, and the congregation had a striking illustration 
of the way that Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander 
reinforce and supplement each other. 

''It was one night in Sydney, Australia," began Mr. 
Alexander, ''just after a meeting in the town hall, a 
member of the choir asked me to write something in 
her book beside my name. And I wrote hurriedly 
this question: 'Are you a living sacrifice?' 

"Three days later a young woman came to me and 
asked me if I remembered what I had written. I 



146 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

said I did not. 'Well/ she said, 'it wasn't my book, 
but I was curious to know what you were writing, 
and I looked over your shoulder and saw it. And it 
kept me awake two nights. 

'''But,' she said, 'I settled it at 2 o'clock this 
morning. I am now a living sacrifice. I have sur- 
rendered all to the Lord.'" 

Then Ernest Naftzger sang "Full Surrender," and 
Dr. Chapman entered the pulpit to give a message 
that fitted into the incident that Mr. Alexander had 
related and the suggestion that Mr. Naftzger had 
voiced in song. "What I am to talk to you about 
this afternoon," he said, "is love, the power of love. 
If we had it in the church we could win men to Jesus. 
That is the secret of power. Love never faileth. 

"All through the Old and New Testament we find 
the story of the infinite power of love. And if you 
search through church history you will find the same 
thing is true. Wherever there was a minister who 
could hold and stir, he was an apostle of love. 

"What they say about your own Bishop Brooks is 
not so much that he was a giant as a preacher, but 
they speak of him as Mr. Great Heart — a man who, 
by the very look of his eye, and the ring of his voice, 
and the kindly clasp of his hand, used to win people. 

"I have been asked whether in my church work I 
have ever made any difference between rich and poor. 
I have been pastor of a church where the people were 
all poor, and I have been pastor of a church where 
they were all rich, and I never made the slightest 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 147 

difference. I found that all I had to do was to sound 
the note of sympathy and love, to show them the 
spirit of Jesus. It always wins. 

^^ Travel up an down your own Commonwealth 
Avenue and Fifth Avenue in New York and you will 
see that there never has been such luxury. And in 
the hotels there never was such a show of wealth. 
But go through the slums and you will find that 
there never has been such a call for love. 

^'I never saw a child playing upon the streets, dirty 
or disheveled, that I did not think of my own little 
boy, shielded from all danger, and that I did not say, 
^That is a call to love.' And I never see a woman, 
careworn and perplexed, that I don't say, 'Call to 
love.' And I never see a man enduring the grind of 
poverty that I do not say, 'Call to love.' 

"I had a great sorrow come into my own life, and a 
distinguished friend came to see me. After he was in 
the room with me five minutes he said, ' You must ex- 
cuse me. My secretary made an appointment for me 
with one of my mill operatives, and I must keep it.' 

''And this man, whose name you see in almost 
every magazine, went down to the poor home of his 
employee, and he found him in a bare little room with 
a little casket in front of him and his face in his 
hands. And my friend went up and put his hand on 
the man's head and said: 'Tom, I'm so sorry. Lift 
up your head, Tom. I know about it. I buried 
my own first born.' And when he went away the 
man found $10 in his palm. That was love. 



148 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

"If I am a Christian, I won't stop my ears to the 
cry of the poor. And I won't say all is well when my 
brother's heart is breaking. And I won't sing and 
rejoice when the man back of me is losing his place 
in the line." 

The next afternoon, in the First Baptist church, 
Mr. Alexander started the song service with "Almost 
Persuaded," and it proved to be a keynote for the 
entire meeting in the tenderness and poetical quality 
of its appeal. "Come unto Me all ye that are weary 
and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Over and 
over in the course of his address Dr. Chapman 
quoted the familiar passage from the first Gospel. 
"This is the invitation," he would say, "I give it to 
the man in this church with heavy burdens to bear. 
I offer it to the mother whose heart is breaking. I 
speak it to you whose souls are sorely tried." 

In the front row of pews was a gray-haired man 
with the face of a saint, wearing a black skull cap, 
whose hands trembled violently as he lowered his 
head into them in the midst of the address. On the 
steps of the pulpit sat another old man wearing the 
garb of a clergyman and his shining face seemed to 
beam a benediction upon the listening congregation. 
There was emotion sweeping like a tide over the 
people, but the very restraint with which they kept 
back their tears and shut their lips made the im- 
pression the more moving. 

"The Spirit of God," "The Story of the Fifteen- 
Day Visit of the Apostles Paul and Peter," and "The 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 149 

Three Crosses/' were the topics which were consid- 
ered at the services of the following week. To many 
who attended a number of the meetings in Tremont 
Temple, as well as in these Back Bay churches, the 
service in the First Baptist church, when the evan- 
gelist spoke upon the Spirit of God, was the most 
impressive and the most satisfying of them all. It 
was impressive because of the personal incidents 
relating to the evangelist and the choir leader which 
were related, because of the subject which was con- 
sidered and the method of its treatment, and because 
of the minutes of silent meditation following the 
benediction with which it was concluded. 

Mr. Alexander led the audience in singing the old- 
time hymns, ''He Leadeth Me," ''Even Me," and "I 
Need Thee Every, Hour." Dr. Chapman added inter- 
est to the last named hymn when he told how he had 
been called up on the telephone at his room in the 
Commonwealth Hotel, and when he answered was 
told that a party of Boston business men were gath- 
ered together and wanted to speak to him. And, as 
he put his ear to the receiver and listened he heard 
in clear, beautiful tones, those business men singing: 

*'I need Thee, O! I need Thee, 
Every hour I need Thee; 

bless me now, my Savior, 

1 come to Thee." 

Mr. McEwan, the former Scotch opera singer, and 
Mr. Hemingway, another of the leaders in the Gospel 
forces of song, sang together "In Jesus," the words 



150 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

of which were found on the desk of a converted in- 
fidel after his death and were set to music by Robert 
Harkness. And then the audience, in subdued 
tones, sang the last verse, beginning : 

"My Jesus, I love Thee, 
I know Thou art mine." 

^^ Personally," said Dr. Chapman, "I value these 
quiet hour services more highly than any other fea- 
ture of our work. I think it is a great privilege to 
feel that we can come here and sit alone with Him in 
this quietness and just hear what He has to say. As 
we sit here to-day, let us say to Him, 'Speak, Lord,' 
and as He speaks let us listen. 

''My text to-day is Romans xv. 30: 'I beseech you 
for the love of the Spirit.' I never heard any one 
say, except once, that he loved the Spirit of God. 
That man was an officer in my church. I never saw 
any man study the Bible as he did. And once, with 
tears staining his cheeks, he looked into my face and 
said: 'Pastor, I have come to love the Spirit of God.' 

"It made a profound impression on me, for I had 
never heard any man say it before, and I never have 
since. You say there is not less said about the Spirit 
of God than about the Father or the Son. But there 
is, and there is a reason for it. If you are familiar 
with the Scriptures, the Old Testament and the New, 
you will find the Spirit of God always witnessing to 
Jesus Christ. 

"The chaplain told me the story of the captain of 
the Merrimac. He did not believe in the Bible. There 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 151 

was nothing of it, he said, that he could accept. He 
despised ministers. Even the chaplain could not 
move him. And then one day the chaplain brought 
him the book, as the old man lay on his sick-bed, and 
said : ' Read it and if there is anything in it anywhere 
that you could accept, mark it with this red ink.' 

^^And the old man said, ^But where shall I begin?' 
and the chaplain said : ' I should begin with the Gos- 
pel of John.' So the captain took the book and he 
read the first two chapters without making a mark. 
And then he started the third chapter, and for a 
time he read without making a mark. Pretty soon 
he came to the 16th verse, and as he read the tears 
came to his eyes and he put his pen in the ink and 
he marked, ^For God so loved the world.' 

^'The captain died., and the chaplain sent his Bible 
home to his daughter, and he said: ^If you could 
only have seen it. There was hardly a page that 
was not marked with red ink. He had found the 
Spirit of God.' 

^'Talk to me about the pleasures of the world! I 
will take Mrs. Charles M. Alexander, whose social 
position in her home is quite as good as yours, whose 
distinction in her home is quite as great as yours. 
And I will take you down to the city of Philadelphia 
and I will show her to you with her arms around a 
fallen woman for half an hour, until finally the woman 
raises up her face and says, 'I will.' And then when 
I show you Mrs. Alexander's face wreathed in smiles 
and touched with the light of heaven, I will show 



162 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

you something that you can never get in the world 
— the Spirit of God." 

Next day in the Central church, the discussion of 
the visit of Peter and Paul gave the speaker an op- 
portunity to drive home some pointed appeals and 
clinch them by the suggestion that these two men, 
both on fire with devotion for the Master, spent all 
their time talking about Jesus in the fifteen days they 
were together, and that after all that kind of personal 
and conversational preaching is the most effective. 

^'I believe there is one sure way to have a perma- 
nent revival in the city of Boston. Not of necessity 
to have great meetings and this great excitement. 
We rather deprecate the excitement. Certainly not 
to make undue appeals to people's emotions or fears. 
Jesus never did that. But I believe the best way to 
have a permanent revival in Boston is for everybody 
to live close to Jesus Christ. 

"It seems to me it is a great shame that those of us 
who have called ourselves Christians should have lived 
so long with our children and our loved ones and our 
friends and they not know we are Christians. Unless 
the people around us know we are Christians there is 
something wrong with our Christian experience. 

"^I abode with him fifteen days.' So reads the 
record. You know there is a great power in fellow- 
ship. There are some visitors we don't like. There 
are some I don't like, and whenever I get a letter 
telling me they are coming I get blue. 

"But there are other visitors. S. H. Hadley used 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 153 

to visit us every summer. He was the most like Jesus 
Christ of any man I have ever seen in my life. He 
went down to the depth and then God raised him up, 
and with his great New England ancestry and the 
marvelous grace of God playing through his life he 
was simply beautiful. 

''He used to come and stay at our house in the coun- 
try for ten days or two weeks. And when we heard 
he was coming the children never played and the ser- 
vants wouldn't work. They almost forgot to serve at 
the table at the dinner hour looking at him. We used 
to sit at his feet and get him to tell over and over the 
marvelous story of his conversion. And when he 
went away everybody would stand on the piazza 
and wave good-by with one hand and wipe away 
the tears with the other. 

''Fifteen days talking of nothing but Jesus! I think 
that was the secret of Paul's power. Peter was a fish- 
erman and ignorant, but that is nothing. Jesus will 
make you great, whatever you are." 

When on Friday, in the same church, the revivalist 
spoke on "The Three Crosses," he made it clear once 
more that he conceived the message of the Gospel to 
be the same to the rich and the poor. "I never make 
any difference," he said. "Money doesn't buy peace, 
and social distinction will not procure happiness. 
And under the finest garments I find the same aching 
hearts that I find under the tatters and the rags of 
people in the tenements and the slums." There were 
many patrician faces that were wet with tears as he 



154 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

emphasized these statements and illustrated them 
from his inexhaustible fund of reminiscence and an- 
ecdote, and many lips whispered ''Amen" when he 
continued : 

''And so this morning I hold up to you, as I would 
hold up to the Salvation Army crowd in the streets, 
our matchless Savior." 

The service in the Central church on the morning of 
February 11 was marked as the most largely attended 
of them all, and by an address probably the most 
poetical of all that the evangelist delivered in Boston. 
Men and women representing the highest plane of 
cultm^e, refinement, wealth, and social eminence in 
Boston were present. 

Admission was by ticket until 9:50, and before that 
hour every seat was taken and hundreds were stand- 
ing. It is estimated that 2,000 people participated in 
the service. Mr. Alexander led the audience in song 
and Mr. Naftzger sang one of Mr. Harkness' hymns 
as a solo. Dr. Chapman preached on the sacrifice and 
sufferings of Christ, and when he closed many were in 
tears. 

"My text," he said, "is Psalms xliv. 8: 'And thy 
garments smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of 
ivory palaces.' This psalm contains the poet's picture 
of Jesus Christ, and for that reason it is very beauti- 
ful. It has been said that of all substances ivory 
best bears the ravages of time. And this was a 
poet's way of saying that Jesus is infinitely eternal 
and unchangeable. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 155 

^'Do you know the story of Jesus is never complete 
until you put all the old book together. In the Old 
Testament we hear Him say: 'I am.' And the sen- 
tence does not seem to be finished. A little later on 
we come to this, 'I am that.' And the sentence is 
not finished until you come to the New Testament, 
and then you read, 'I am the way,' ^I am the life,' 
'I am the door.' And 'No man cometh unto the 
Father but by Me.' 

'' Business men who are here this morning, forget 
your business. Society women, forget your busy life. 
Broken-hearted women, seeking for peace, forget your 
sorrow. Crushed and disappointed spirit, may I 
show Him to you, coming from his ivory palaces?" 

What was expected to be the last of the '^ Quiet 
Hours," in the First Baptist church on the morning 
of February 12, the evangelist again urged the spirit 
of service. ^'I do not care necessarily for public con- 
fessions," he said. "Shut yourself in your room and 
turn the key in the lock and say, 'Lord, put Thy 
finger on the thing in my life that is not right,' and 
again, 'Speak, Lord, and I will serve.' Will you not 
in this blessed hour realize that you are alone with 
God, that you may shut all the world out by closing 
your eyes and bowing your heads, and will you not, 
here and now, give yourself altogether to God to do 
His will and to enter into the fullness of His bless- 
ing?" 

But an additional "Quiet Hour" had to be ar- 
ranged, the admission to be by ticket, for those who 



156 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

were on the Back Bay parish lists, whether as church 
members or adherents. At some of the earlier Back 
Bay meetings the people of the district itself had had 
difficulty in securing entrance to the churches. This 
ticket plan for a final nieeting was intended to over- 
come this objection. 

On the morning appointed, Thursday, February 18, 
the first Mechanics Hall day, the Commonwealth 
Avenue Baptist church was crowded, the larger por- 
tion of the congregation being women. Mr. Alexan- 
der conducted the song service and Ernest Naftzger 
sang various numbers. The address upon ''The Shep- 
herd Psalm" was simple, searching, and sympathetic. 

THE WORK OF MR. AND MRS. ASHER 
RESCUE EVANGELISTS 

The story of the month of the evangelistic campaign 
has so many sides that there are a score of them to 
which no allusion can be made in this narrative, al- 
though, were this a comprehensive history, it would be 
necessary to consider them all at length. There is the 
work of the superintendent of the personal workers, 
Ralph C. Norton, and of his wife, who acted as an 
accompanist and singer. They held conference meet- 
ings, directed the ''drawing of the net,'^ and, with 
the co-operation of Secretary Mehaffey, of the local 
Young Men's Christian Association, who had done 
the preliminary canvassing for and organizing of the 
big corps of ushers and workers, they made it very 
difficult for any person in the great Tremont Temple 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 157 

congregations to get away without having been ap- 
proached tactfully by some man or woman and asked 
to consider the question which the leaders were press- 
ing upon the hearts and consciences of their auditors. 

A long and picturesque story might be written also 
about the shop meetings, some of which were led by 
the Ashers, but most of them by Lawrence Greenwood, 
the director of music in the Codman Square group of 
churches. He conducted five noon meetings in the 
shops of the Boston Woven Hose Company, two in 
the John P. Squires shops, and one in the shops of 
the Simplex Electric Company, all located in Cam- 
bridge. The Rev. George R. Stair also conducted 
shop meetings in the works of the Thomas G. Plant 
Company in Jamaica Plain. 

Then, too, there was what the reporters considered 
"a good story" at the meetings in the Bowdoin 
Square Tabernacle, whose pastor, the Rev. F. E. 
Heath, was indefatigable in his efforts to push the 
work along. These meetings were held at all hours 
of the day and night, and it was in one of them that 
"Jerry, the Crook," made a vow that he would start 
in that new way of living which the evangelists were 
recommending. 

But the pair that gave the reporters the most 
trouble were the Ashers. They had no regular ap- 
pointments. They were to hold meetings wherever 
they could get access to the class of people that it was 
their business to reach. Sometimes their meetings 
were scheduled in the program, which was published 



158 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

day by day, but more than likely they were not. 
That was because their meetings were often arranged 
only an hour or two in advance, and also because 
they were anxious to dodge publicity, too much of 
which would mean a crowd of church people who, all 
unintentionally, would '^ queer" the services. 

So the reporters had a hard time keeping on their 
trail. Here is a partial list of the meetings which 
these workers held: An overflow service in the War- 
ren Avenue Baptist church, on Sunday evening, Jan- 
uary 31; meetings for women only on the afternoon 
of February 3 in the Central Congregational church 
and at night in the German Baptist church in Jamaica 
Plain, both conducted by Mrs. Asher; the next night 
a meeting in Park Street church for women only; on 
the following Sunday Mrs. Asher spoke to women 
in the afternoon in the Bromfield Street church and 
husband and wife together conducted an overflow 
meeting that night in the chapel of the First Con- 
gregational church in Maiden, and then at mid- 
night they accomplished the feat of holding a service 
in the Staniford Street Mission in lower Boston; on 
Monday, the 8th, they held a noon meeting in the 
round-house of the Boston and Maine railroad in East 
Cambridge, and that evening they spoke in the Bow- 
doin Square Tabernacle; on Tuesday night they were 
again at the Tabernacle, and in the afternoon at the 
Soldiers' Home in Chelsea; on Thursday at noon they 
were in Cambridge at the Mystic Wharf car shops, 
and in the afternoon Mrs. Asher spoke to women at 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 159 

the Friends' church in Townsend street; then on the 
next Sunday they were at the First Baptist church in 
Maiden in the evening; and on Wednesday, February 
17, they held a meeting in the Railroad Young Men's 
Christian Association in the rear of the old Fitchburg 
depot at noon, and late that night they spoke at the 
William Tell House in down-town Boston. 

But this mention does not tell more than a frac- 
tion of the story. There were services in the Charles 
Street jail, aboard the Monitor down the harbor, on 
the water front, on the Wabash at the Charlestown 
navy yard; in the employees' hall in Houghton & But- 
ton's department store, at the Florence Crittenden 
Home, and only themselves know just where else. 
Then they were frequently doing service in the meet- 
ings at the Temple. Often Mrs. Asher conducted the 
after-meetings for women while the men were with 
Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander in Lorimer Hall. 
She conducted some of the conferences for the plan- 
ning of ^'Mothers' Day." Mr. Asher was seen often 
scouting about the alleys and the streets of the slum 
section of the city. It had been a great disappoint- 
ment to him that it had been thought unwise to grant 
permission to hold services in saloons. To have done 
so, in the judgment of the excise commissioners, would 
have opened a loophole for future violations of the 
law prohibiting music in saloons. So the little organ 
which Mr. Asher had carried into hundreds of drink- 
ing places in other cities did not enter the saloons of 
Boston, and Mrs. Asher did not sing in these places 



160 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

as she had expected to do when she came to the 
Hub. 

Now for a condensed story of a few of these meet- 
ings that will show what were the methods of these 
rescue workers and the success which attended their 
efforts. They spent a half-hour with 500 employees of 
the Houghton & Button Company in the clerks' hall 
at midday. Up to the eighth floor Mr. Asher carried 
a black box, which later developments showed was a 
miaiature organ. Right after arrival he climbed on a 
chair, announced that he wanted to shake hands with 
all the girlS; and when they all put up their hands he 
waved his own and shouted, "Hello, girls." Then 
everybody sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee," Mrs. 
Asher sang the "Sparrow Song," and her husband 
went on to explain that he had no intention of trying 
to induce any of the girls to change from one church — 
Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish — to another. Then 
he climbed aboard the chair again. "I am going to 
take my text," continued Mr. Asher, "from Timothy i. 
15: 'This is a faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came 
into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.' 

"Why do we preach a Gospel in a place like this? 
It's simply because we have a message that fits every 
himian heart, no matter how great its sin may be or 
its disappointment. A man or a woman who is in the 
right relation with God is one who is happy. We 
know that if we can get others to accept Him in that 
respect we shall be all the more happy." 

At the end Mr. Asher asked all who would like to 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 161 

be remembered in Mrs. Asher's prayer to raise their 
hands. Almost every girl in the room raised her hand. 

Over at the navy yard their service was held aboard 
the Wabash, on the starboard side of the deck. The 
little organ, the gift of a reformed saloon-keeper of 
Minneapolis, was put in the center of the group of 
officers, tars, and marines, and they made the ship 
ring with Gospel hymns. Nearly all of them knew 
''He Will Hold Me fast." Mr. Asher mounted a 
chair here, also, and in his own particular brand of 
English — "you see it's a vernacular that the boys 
understand," he says — he gave them a talk on the 
God idea and remembering the Golden Rule in their 
relations, man with man. 

In Peter Smith Hall, in the Soldiers' Home in Chel- 
sea, the Ashers held a service that was similar and 
yet different. There were 300 veterans present and 
some of them were helpless cripples in wheel chairs, 
who were brought down the elevator from the hos- 
pital and pushed along by their fellow soldiers. Mr. 
Asher got their hearts at once by saying that they 
were all more experienced in life than was he and 
that he would talk to them as to his father. Then he 
made a simple appeal that they give their hearts to 
Christ. Mrs. Asher sang for them and the song that 
they all wanted to join in singing was '' Nearer, My 
God, to Thee." There was ingenuity in the construc- 
tion of the address. ''You had faith in your colonel 
when you went into battle in the old days," said the 
evangelist. ' ' Why not just transfer some of that faith 



162 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

to Jesus Christ? You fought to free the slaves; ac- 
cept the deliverance from the slavery of sin. The 
country has made good its promises to you. Why not 
believe that God will make good His words to you?" 

Later they went into the hospital and Mr. Asher 
went from bed to bed and spoke to the hundreds of 
sick and maimed men, while Mrs. Asher sang for 
them. There were twoscore of the veterans in the 
hall below and in the hospital who expressed the 
desire to lead Christian lives. 

The service in the William Tell House was held for 
the men and women of the theater. That hotel is lo- 
cated at Somerset and Howard streets in the West 
End and is frequented by player folk of the cheaper 
theaters. It was arranged by the hotel and theater 
chaplain, the Rev. E. C. Webster, and the woman pro- 
prietor of the hotel endorsed the idea. The meeting 
was held in the dining-room, where rows of chairs 
had replaced the usual tables. When the men and 
women of the footlights passed on their way to bed 
after the show, tired out and looking it, they dropped 
in, fifty of them, out of curiosity. There were more 
men than women, and some of them would have been 
finds for the caricaturists. The girls were all dressed 
plainly and the gorgeous hats and brilliants conspicu- 
ous by their absence. There was ^'make-up" on a 
good many eyelashes and rouge on most of their 
cheeks. 

The service was opened in the Asherian style. "I 
guess the Palace Theater hasn't let out yet," said Mr. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 163 

Asher. "When that show's over probably a lot more 
will come in. This meeting is only for theater folk. 
We didn't put any notice in the papers because we 
didn't want the others. We just wanted you that 
don't often get a chance to go to church. Let's sing 
a hymn. Will some of you help to pass these slips. 
You'll find the words on them. Most of you know 
them, anjrway." 

The little organ was opened and before long most of 
the fifty were singing. ''I want every one here who 
had a Christian home and a Christian mother to hold 
up their hands," said the evangelist. Only a few did 
not put up a hand. Then Mr. Asher took two Bibles 
from his pocket. One was the King James version 
and the other the Catholic (Douay) Bible. '^The text 
is the same in both," he said. "'For God so loved 
the world that He gave His only begotten Son that 
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life.'" On that verse from John he 
talked about ten minutes. Mrs. Asher offered prayer. 
Half the fifty got on their knees and the others 
bowed their heads. 

But the most distinctive of the Asher meetings was 
the one in the Merrimac Mission at 105 Staniford 
Street, at midnight. That was really strenuous. 

The mission room is a vacant store. The walls are 
blue and white and hung with a few mottoes and a 
big sign, "Get Right With God." There is a pulpit 
and a little cabinet organ at one end and the room is 
seated with about seventy plain chairs. Often the 



164 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

crowd that comes in for service is only half sober, and 
some of the regulars enjoy an argument with the 
preacher. Then the room has only one ventilator 
in the ceiling at the back, and the air gets stuffy and 
the heat almost unbearable. 

Before the Ashers arrived the superintendent, Mr. 
Winslow, had the people start singing, and the listener 
who thought there was some volume to the singing in 
the Temple would have been astonished at the vigor 
which these singers showed. At 11 o'clock there 
was not a foot of standing room left for the later ar- 
rivals, and when Mr. Asher came he just jerked off 
his coat and waded in. His talk, he wouldn't like to 
have it called a sermon, was full of expressions that 
crooks understand, entirely intelligible to every one 
present. 

^'You fellers look pretty good to me," he began. 
^'I wish a bunch of you could get out on the side- 
walk and flag some of those fellows going by. We've 
got a good thing here, and a lot of them ought to 
go up against it." 

^'They'll be in in a few moments," said Superin- 
tendent Winslow, half-way down the aisle. And he 
was plumb right; they all came in, especially after the 
saloons began to close at 11 o'clock. One man floated 
in almost as Mr. Asher began, with much more liquor 
aboard than he could carry comfortably. He wanted 
to talk, and Superintendent Winslow tried to hush 
him. 

''Come up here, Buddy," said Mr. Asher. "0, let 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 165 

him alone — he'll be a good feller in a minute. Now 
while we were singing 'Throw Out the Life Line'" — 

There was another hymn, and then the revivalist 
said: ''Now, I want to hear from some of you men. 
You needn't think you've got to keep your yap closed 
and let us do all the singing, because we're not going 
to do it. By the way, how many converts are there 
here to-night"? 

The converts were all seated together at his right. 
Twenty men raised their hands at the revivalist's 
question. 

And before that meeting was over Mr. and Mrs. 
Asher had those men on their knees, teamsters, scrap- 
pers, cooks, coachmen, laborers, riveters, icemen, sail- 
ors and all; he got them to own up that they were 
tired of sin and to declare that if God would help 
them and they could get "a hand up" somewhere 
they would cut it all out and begin over. It was a 
real triumph and when at 12:45 the window was 
smashed and the door kicked in by sidewalk roughs 
the victory had been won. 

So William and Virginia Asher go about their work. 
It is their work and they go about it in ways that 
might cause consternation in a Back Bay church, but 
it wins. Mrs. Asher finds it hard sometimes. It was 
in Duluth that Dr. Chapman found them and invited 
them into what became their life work. It was in Des 
Moines that they held a service in the saloon called 
"The Fence," because it was the resort of thieves and 
criminals, kept by a man suspected of two murders, 



166 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

and they won that man and he sold out and bought a 
farm with the proceeds. In Richmond they held ser- 
vices in low saloons, where black and white mixed, 
and Mrs. Asher has yet to meet her first insult. But 
it was also in Richmond that they held a meeting in 
the municipal court and the judge, a man of influence 
and ability, who had not been attracted by religion — 
it was Judge Cretchfield — was among those who 
held up their hands when the invitation was given 
for those who wished to express their intention to 
lead a better life. Here is Mrs. Asher's own concep- 
tion of her work: 

''how I WORK FOR THE SALVATION OF THE DERELICTS 
I MEET IN THE BARROOMS 

"Every man, however degraded, has a heart in 
which the spring of sentiment can be touched if the 
opportune moment is seized to pierce its innermost 
recesses. Men who for years have never felt the in- 
fluence of a home's surroundings, who have neglected 
even to think of the mother whose loving admonitions 
they have neglected ever since they were listened to, 
can be reached by a few simple but direct references 
to 'mother.' 

"My song, 'My Mother's Prayer,' has proved a 
good saver of souls, for it tells, and so very simply, 
that many a calloused heart has been reached by 
what a mother's love will do for a child. My short 
talk does the rest." 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 167 

A GLIMPSE OF THE WORK IN THE TWENTY- 
FOUR DISTRICTS 

Greater Boston, divided into twenty-four districts, 
not counting the Central district, which had Tremont 
Temple as its focal point, with a revival meeting in 
each every night for three weeks except Saturday, led 
by an evangelist and a singer, under the auspices of 
more than 160 churches of various evangelical denomi- 
nations, each district having its own committee of 
management and all under a general executive com- 
mittee, of which Dr. Conrad was chairman, with head- 
quarters in the Temple, and the whole under the 
leadership of Dr. Chapman, who was responsible for 
the supply of the evangelists and directors of music, 
the series of meetings to begin in each case on January 
26 and to end on February 17, when the four days of 
mass services in Mechanics Building were to com- 
mence — this is the plan in outline which gave the 
campaign the name, '^The Simultaneous Evangelistic 
Meetings." 

It is possible merely to allude in the course of this 
narrative to some of the features that made the work 
in these groups of churches significant. 

It was a delicate task that had to be fulfilled long 
in advance of the start of the meetings, that of assign- 
ing the visitors to the various groups. No serious mis- 
take was made. In some instances the ^'fit " was sur- 
prisingly perfect and the singers and preachers at 
once captivated the hearts of their hearers. In some 



168 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

places the enthusiasm was as great as at the center, 
and the meetings almost as spectacular. The reports 
from these district centers on ^^Good Cheer" Mondays 
imparted new zest to pastors and laymen week by 
week. 

On the opening night, Tuesday, January 26, there 
were services in all the groups except the Central. 
The Rev. Herbert Johnson, chairman of the publicity 
committee, went from suburb to subm-b, night after 
night, and kept watch on the situation in each one. 
That first night he said that he was satisfied. 

'^ It's a good beginning. Some of the churches were 
full. All had good congregations. The numbers 
ranged from 500 to 1,000 and more." 

Upon this basis it was estimated that 15,000 heard 
the revivalists that first night in Somerville, Charles- 
town, and the other suburban cities upon the north; 
in the Newtons and Brookline and the region to the 
west, in Dorchester, Roxbury, and South Boston, and 
in the South End. 

In Newton Center there was a large congregation in 
the Methodist church; in the South End of the city 
proper there were 1,000 in the People's Temple, and 
700 in Tremont Street Methodist church ; out in Mel- 
rose there were more than half a thousand present in 
both the Highland Congregational and the Center 
Baptist churches; in Brookline the people who had 
the Rev. Dr. Frederick B. Taylor, pastor of a great 
Baptist church in Indianapolis, were convinced that 
they had "the right man"; almost a thousand came 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 169 

to the first meeting in Dorchester, and in Maiden, 
Charlestown, East Boston and South Boston, Stone- 
ham and Roxbury, Somerville, Quincy, Everett, 
Jamaica Plain, Allston-Brighton, Upham's Corner, 
Field's Corner, West Medford and Watertown there 
were large congregations. In Cambridge there was 
delay, for the Evangelist was coming from Kansas 
and was hindered on the way. 

In all these opening services the speakers reassured 
the hearers who had sinister notions of ^^ cyclone re- 
vivalists," and emphasized fundamentals upon which 
they expected to take their stand in the meetings that 
were to follow. They appealed for a renewal of con- 
secration on the part of the church people and for 
hearty co-operation in the common cause. 

In East Boston — to take the groups one at a time 
— the evangelist was the Rev. Thomas Needham and 
the singer John W. Reynolds. From the first the 
Maverick Congregational church was crowded and on 
Sundays the attendance was extraordinary. Twice 
the evangelists, personal workers and pastors, headed 
by the Salvation Army band, marched through the 
streets and into the church, bringing with them many 
who might not have come if their attention had not 
thus been won. Mr. Reynolds adopted Alexander 
methods in leading the singing and called soloists out 
of the audiences. One night he thus used a former 
opera singer, a man with a magnificent voice, and a 
little ten-year-old girl. When the final night came 
hundreds of cards had been signed and testimonials of 



170 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

esteem were presented to the visiting leaders and to 
the chairman of the local committee, the Rev. H. A. 
Manchester. Ex-Governor Bates was on the plat- 
form and he urged the people to be generous in their 
treatment of the evangelists. 

The "Men Only" services had proved so popular 
and profitable that plans were made before the evan- 
gelists left for their continuance and unique an- 
nouncements were prepared for distribution in the 
pay envelopes in many establishments where large 
forces of men are employed: 

"Whether you are Jew or Gentile, atheist or Chris- 
tian, Socialist or single taxer ; whether you are Repub- 
lican or Democrat, believe in high tariff or low tariff; 
in merry widow hats or rights of men; in the eight- 
hour day or in the suppression of the United States 
Senate, in a tax on bachelors or voters, does not make 
any difference, you are invited to the Maverick church 
Sunday afternoon, Feb. 21, at 2 o'clock; but you must 
believe in free speech and fair play for every man." 
These meetings were planned primarily for working- 
men and current issues were discussed in them. 

The meeting of the Jamaica Plain group were led 
by the Rev. George R. Stair, of the Baptist church, in 
the college town of Middlebury, Vermont, and Chester 
A. Harris, Gospel soloist. At nearly every meeting, 
once the campaign was under way, there were de- 
cision cards signed and sometimes the number of these 
expressions of intention was large. At the end it was 
announced that nearly 700 had signed these cards. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 171 

In the Stoneham district, where the work was led 
by the Rev. Edgar E. Davidson, with Charles A. 
Pearce as singer, there was developed a quiet and 
thoughtful interest, and at the end it was stated 
that 250, half of them adults, had announced their 
determination to lead the Christian life. The Old 
People's service on February 11 was the most impres- 
sive of the series, and there were present sixty who 
were more than 70 years old and three who had 
reached 85. A hundred school children came to sing 
for the aged folk. The old-fashioned testimony ser- 
vice was used frequently by this evangelist. On the 
final Sunday the largest gathering of men ever seen 
in Stoneham came together. At one meeting two 
boys came into the inquirer's room each bringing his 
father. Each boy had started alone. 

Audiences of a thousand and more were common 
at the Somerville meetings, which were held in the 
Broadway Congregational church. The Rev. H. N. 
Faulconer came from Kentucky to lead them, and 
I. R. Hemminger was his choir director. They surely 
were ^'instant in season and out of season." On one 
of the Sundays of the series they were before the 
Sunday-school of the church at the noon hour, at the 
Perkins Street Baptist church in mid-afternoon, when 
thirty persons came forward, at the Young Men's 
Christian Association building talking to men an 
hour later, when twenty men made a start, and at 
night they faced 1,500 in the church and fifty gave 
expression to their purpose to adopt the Christian 



172 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

way. On the last night there were 1,500 again pres- 
ent, and as in other districts the evangehsts were 
made to feel that they had endeared themselves to 
their hearers ''for the work's sake." 

There were no '^ off nights" in Everett. Even when 
a severe storm was raging the First Methodist church 
was crowded. Here the evangelists were the Rev. Ora 
S. Gray, who said his purpose was to get people ready, 
not so much for heaven, as for Boston, and Charles 
F. Allen. Overflow meetings were often necessary 
and Mrs. William Asher, of Dr. Chapman's personal 
staff, came over to help. One feature of these meetings 
that touched all hearts was the singing of a blind boy, 
who rendered Gospel solos in a most mo\dng way. 
Then one night a young German girl, who had been 
in America but a few months, came forward before 
1,200 people, weeping like a little child, and told in 
broken English her intention to take Christ as her 
Savior. It was in one of these meetings that a man 
went first to the door and threw a whisky bottle 
crashing into the street and then came to the altar. 
Two nights later he had another man with him. 

Dr. Frederick B. Taylor and Singer Harper G. 
Smyth had large congregations in the meetings in the 
Brookline Baptist church. Dr. Taylor was in demand 
for meetings elsewhere, and spoke regularly in Park 
Street church at noon meetings. The ser\dces in 
the group resulted in the signing of about 400 deci- 
sion cards, and the pastors of the three participat- 
ing churches, Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian, at 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 173 

once began systematic work for the future care of 
these ^'converts." They were expected to join the 
church of their choice and these pastors were to 
train them so far as might be needful for intelhgent 
church membership. 

One of the Brookline professions was made by a 
young man who had given several years to dissipa- 
tion and who three months before had been saved by 
his friends from state's prison through a legal techni- 
cality. He was regarded as incorrigible. Said Dr. 
Taylor: ^'It was a benediction just to look at that 
boy's face." That was after the change had come. 

Another interesting case was that of a man who 
had been an avowed infidel. Sunday afternoon 
Boston Common speeches had been his lyceum. 
Hearing that the evangelist was to preach one night 
on a text in Jonah, he went to the service to scoff. 
He heard a sermon on ^^He Paid the Fare," and was 
won by it for Christ. A little later he sent a sum of 
money for the fund, saying: ^'This revival is the 
most wonderful thing I've ever seen." Dr. Taylor 
himself never saw the man. 

Varied and inspiring had been the career of the 
Rev. James 0. Buswell, who was the appointee for the 
work in the Charlestown group of churches. He had 
done much evangelistic work in the lumber camps of 
the Northwest and his audiences were much interested 
with the incidents with which he pointed his appeals, 
telling them of experiences which had come to him in 
the forests. The crowded wooden sleeping quarters 



174 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

of the lumbermen, the one-windowed cooking shacks, 
the gamblers hovering like birds of prey about the 
camps on pay day, the reforms which came in time 
and the transformations which were wrought by the 
Gospel, all these tales fascinated his congregations and 
reached their hearts and their wills. The services 
were held in the Winthrop Congregational church. 
The director of music was W. W. Weaver, and here, 
as in all the centers, there was a chorus to lead in the 
service of song, directed by the visiting singer. The- 
ater services were held here on Sunday afternoons. 
Comprehensive statistics were kept here and it was 
stated at the final meeting that the attendance in the 
course of the twenty-five services had aggregated 
10,642, that the average per service had been 462, 
and that 500 decision cards had been signed. 

It was in connection with these meetings that a 
large number of family altars were established. One 
Sunday night a certain man was won and the follow- 
ing Sunday he led the Gospel preacher to his older 
brother, a convert just won. Again, an officer in 
the state prison, located in that section of the city, 
a young man who had been frightfully profane, and 
his Catholic wife, all started one evening. Most 
touching of all was the case of a young woman who 
came up the church aisle one night at the end of the 
service, leading her mother to the evangelist as one 
who had just accepted Christ. 

The Rev. Ralph Atkinson, with F. M. Lamb as 
soloist and chorister, was in charge of the work in 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 175 

the Upham's Corner group of churches. Here, too, 
overflow meetings were necessary from time to time. 
The estimated number of decisions was 300. The 
work of the choir was particularly effective here, and 
Mr. Lamb's singing of ^'The Bird With the Broken 
Pinion" was touching. One day he rendered this 
sermon in song at the Tremont Temple meeting and 
here, as everywhere, it made a profound impression 
upon the men, conveying in beautiful melody and 
pathetic words the thought of the scar and weight 
that sin leaves. 

It is almost a mere catalogue, this statement of the 
work in the various sections of Greater Boston. These 
same features appeared over and over in the centers: 
Tears followed the pleas of the speakers, stillness held 
while the singers told in song the story of the cross; 
inquirers related touching tales in all the churches; 
sometimes bravely and almost with a cheer, and 
again timidly as a child ventures into the night, 
they made their start. In some districts there were 
features that stood out in relief because they were 
different. 

One of these was the South Boston group, and this 
was different because the evangelist was a skillful 
picture-maker for children. This was the Rev. 
Charles T. Schaeffer, and with him as choirmaster 
was associated W. H. CoUisson. The services were 
transferred from church to church in the search for 
an auditorium big enough to hold the crowds, which 
averaged about 1,000. Men's meetings were held 



176 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

from time to time as well as the young people's 
meetings in the afternoon. 

Audiences of 1,100 were the rule in the Codman 
Square section, where the meetings were held in the 
Second Congregational church. Here the Rev. Milton 
S. Rees was the evangelist and Lawrence Greenwood, 
the man whom Mr. Alexander ^' liked to hear sing 
because he guessed he'd got religion," and who con- 
ducted many shop meetings in Cambridge, led the 
chorus of 100 voices. Meetings were held for men 
and women separately many times, and at one of the 
men's meetings fully 200 asked for prayer in the 
inquiry room. 

In another part of Dorchester, the Field's Corner 
section, the Rev. Harry Taylor, of Andover, led the 
campaign, and Albany R. Smith, son of Gypsy Smith, 
was soloist and music director. Here the street 
parade was tried also as a means of gaining the atten- 
tion of the multitude. With the Salvation Army 
band at the head the procession left the Parkman 
Street church at 7 o'clock and spent about an hour 
on the streets. There was some fear that the parade 
would be a mark for street roughs and a large detail 
of police in plain clothes were at hand, but there was 
no disorder of any sort. About 400 personal workers 
had places in the line. At the head of the proces- 
sion was a huge banner with the inscription, ''The 
King's Business," carried by a worker from the Im- 
manuel Baptist church, James H. Taylor. Rev. 
Harry Taylor, whose idea it was to hold the parade^ 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 177 

had the post of honor and was accompanied by the 
ministers, Rev. W. W. Everts, the chairman; Rev. 
Charles W. Washburn, of Trinity church, Neponset; 
George H. Fhnt, of the Central Congregational 
church; Albany Smith, the singing leader of the sec- 
tion, and Rev. A. P. Polyard, acting pastor of the 
Parkman Street M. E. church. 

The meetings in the Newton Center churches were 
conducted by the Rev. Dr. John A. Earl, of Chicago, 
with Clifton Powers as chorister. Here a series of 
meetings were conducted by boys and another by girls. 
The meetings were suggested by the young people 
themselves, and they managed them. One day some 
boys came to Dr. Earl and told him they wanted to 
help the revival and thought they might try to hold 
a prayer meeting. About twenty boys in their teens 
^'pitched in" and made the meeting go and then the 
girls started their prayer meetings in a similar way. 

Dr. Earl ended his Newton campaign a little before 
the other groups and, with Mr. Powers thus free, was 
used in various ways elsewhere, conducting several 
night services in Park Street church, to accommodate 
the Temple overflow. 

The meetings in Maiden went on with ever-increas- 
ing interest and power under the direction of the 
Rev. Dr. Frank Granstaff and Owen F. Pugh, whose 
singing was most effective, and who, as a director, 
won the hearts of chorus and congregation alike. 
The chorus numbered 200 and the audiences often 
reached 1,000. On the night of February 13 there 



178 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

were 150 who professed their readiness to undertake 
the Christian hfe. 

In Water town remarkable results were secured, in 
the judgment of the evangelist, S. M. Sayford, long 
known as the college evangelist, and now the secre- 
tary of the New England Evangelistic Association. 
Lewis E. Smith, who conducted the prefatory mass 
rehearsal of choirs in Tremont Temple on the Monday 
before the opening of the campaign, was the singer 
assigned to this district. It was Mr. Sayford's opin- 
ion that the 'interest, attendance, and results in con- 
servative Watertown were striking." Many church 
members entered into covenant to lead a more con- 
sistent life, and many decision cards were signed. 

An evangelist of great experience and marked suc- 
cess was sent to Melrose, the Rev. Dr. Arthur J. 
Smith, who was associated with Dr. Chapman as an 
assistant when the latter was pastor of the great 
Bethany Church in Philadelphia, and who now is 
connected with the tent campaigns in Greater New 
York. A. B. Fenno was his singer. They proved to 
be alert advertisers, using cards and posters most 
effectively. Night after night men and women by 
scores and fifties went forward when the invitation 
was given and they lifted their hands by the hundred 
to request that prayer be offered in their behalf. 

Here are Mr. Smith's own estimate of the work and 
a striking incident as related by him: '^During an 
experience of about twenty-five years in Christian 
work I have never known such interest in evangel- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 179 

istic meetings, have never had such Hberty in deliv- 
ering the Gospel message, and have never seen people 
in such numbers as I have seen them in Melrose. 

^'At the close of a recent after-service at least 150 
people came forward, stood with the ministers and 
myself and audibly prayed, asking God to save them 
from their sins. There were strong men, mature 
women in this company, some who stand high in 
commercial and social circles." 

^' Never in my years as an evangelist have I seen 
such a general spiritual awakening," was the com- 
ment of H. D. Sheldon, who led the services in the 
Columbus Avenue People's Temple. Mr. Sheldon 
had gone into evangelism after a business career in 
Auburn, New York, and years of what he called 
^'fast living." He says that he was converted in the 
hayloft of his father's barn. Benjamin F. Butts was 
the chorus leader in this group. The Temple has a 
large auditorium, and the audiences at the outset 
numbered 600, and grew steadily until they reached 
and passed the 1,000 and then the 1,500 mark. 

Here also the midnight parade was used effctively. 
One night the marchers, 350 strong, walked through 
the snowy streets from the People's Temple, through 
the South End, picking up on the way 200 stragglers 
who followed them back to the Temple and heard 
Dr. Sheldon tell of the glory of God and joined Mr. 
Butts in singing Gospel hymns. The parade started 
at the close of the regular meeting, and, four abreast, 
the marchers kept time to the music of the Salva- 



180 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

tion Army band of twenty pieces. From Columbus 
Avenue down Berkeley Street they went. People 
crowded to windows, came out of houses and fell in 
with the procession. At Berkeley and Tremont 
streets they gathered in a group and sang ^'Nearer, 
My God, to Thee." Again on Washington Street 
and on Columbus Avenue, at Dartmouth Street, they 
stopped and sang. Along the line of the procession 
all business was suspended ; even traffic stopped, while 
persons hurrying to their homes paused in the bitter 
cold and wonderingly listened to the singing. Men in 
saloons hurried to the doors, many forgetting to re- 
turn, going home or, following, entered the church. 

It was at one of these meetings that a dentist, 
who had lost, through drink, a fortune of S50,000 and 
who had broken the heart of his wife, prematurely 
dead, and whose second wife and children could not 
remain in the home with him, came, on the verge of 
delnium tremens. He was won and a new day has 
dawned for him. Here, too, a Maine lumberman 
found the Christ. In coarse garments, with a big, 
red scarf about his neck, he looked a strange figure. 
He had lost the earnings of several months in the 
saloons. Later he said: ''I've found Christ and I'm 
going back to tell the boys about it. I can't talk 
Christ as they do here, but I'll tell the story my 
way, and I'm going to live it." 

What the Rev. John H. EUiott characterized as 
"almost an ideal work" was done in the Allston- 
Brighton group of churches. His director of music 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 181 

was the twin brother of the soloist at Tremont Temple, 
Everett R. Naftzger. Dr. Elliott had been ten years 
a Young Men's Christian Association secretary in 
Minneapolis. He was with Dwight L. Moody in the 
World's Fair series of revival meetings and he had 
been a pastor of one of the Collegiate Reformed 
churches in New York City. With this equipment he 
came to Boston and he did a most effective and satis- 
fying work. He found clear-cut young business men 
particularly responsive to the Gospel that he preached. 
These evangelists made but few direct appeals for 
decisions, but cards were signed at most of the ser- 
vices. ^'Old People's Day" was celebrated beauti- 
fully here with one great-great-grandmother and five 
great-grandmothers in the congregation. 

The Roxbury South group was assigned the Rev. 
J. Ernest Thacker as evangelist and George A. Fisher 
as director of music. The meetings were held in the 
Immanuel Walnut Avenue Congregational church 
and great things were attempted and achieved. The 
attendance was large and the leaders were impressed 
by the way in which ^'Catholics and Protestants, 
Salvation Army and organized churches minimized 
their differences, emphasized their unity, and worked 
together in the common cause." As the result of 
these meetings one pastor found that more than 200 
people had expressed their preference for his church 
and he went immediately forward with the care of 
these new Christians in preparation for their recep- 
tion into his membership. 



182 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

The other Roxbury group was given the Rev. Dr. 
Ford C. Ottman as evangelist, and the singer was the 
converted opera singer, called ^Hhe Scottish Sankey," 
William McEwan. Dr. Ottman came from Stamford, 
Connecticut, where he is a Presbyterian pastor. 
Most of the meetings were held in the Dudley Street 
Baptist church. Congregations of a thousand were 
the rule. Dr. Ottman proved himself a preacher, 
tender yet true to his convictions, and effective in 
his use of illustrative incidents. In this series of 
services about 400 decision cards were signed. The 
final meeting on the evening of February 16 was a 
miniature Mechanics Hall good-by service. For fif- 
teen minutes after the service ended the choir sang, 
while hundreds remained in their seats to listen. 

When the service was brought to an end William 
McEwan, the leader, was called to the center of the 
platform and in the presence of the choir and congre- 
gation was presented with a handsome gold signet 
ring, the gift of the choir. The presentation was by 
Arthur Packard, chairman of the music committee. 

The Rev. Dr. A. W. Spooner was in charge of the 
meetings in the Melrose Highlands district. It was 
his son, D. Lansing Spooner, who led the music in 
the Cambridge meetings. Dr. Spooner had held 
several Presbyterian pastorates and he said that he 
had never seen '' people apparently more eager for 
spiritual quickening and more ready to respond to 
calls to definite service." In the first ten days of 
this series of services there were 275 who declared 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 183 

themselves for Christ. They were of all ages, men 
and women, boys and girls. Interest among the 
men was especially marked. 

Dr. Spooner is often called 'Hhe artist preacher." 
In the com'se of his sermons, without interrupting 
his flow of language, he puts a sketch with colored 
crayons upon a blackboard, thus illustrating some 
main point in his address. 

But what most startled the Melrose Highlands 
people was the open avowal of conversion made by 
a man who had been born in wealth, who had sep- 
arated from his family, and who a few weeks before 
had forged a note and spent a large sum to keep 
out of prison. 

There were '^ family rallies," a Lincoln celebration 
on the day of the Lincoln centenary, a quiz meeting 
when questions were answered by the evangelists, 
and other attractive features in this campaign. 
When the last night came the evangelist was accom- 
panied to the railroad station by about 100 of the 
congregation who wished him ^^ Godspeed" and 
sang ''He Will Hold Me Fast" when he took the 
train for his home in Washington, D. C. 

The meetings in the South End east group were 
held in the Tremont Street Methodist church and the 
addresses were made by the Rev. Daniel S. Toy, and 
the singing was conducted by Frank Dickson. There 
were many who responded to their appeals, and Dr. 
Toy seemed to be especially effective in reaching 
older people. The meetings at noonday in Faneuil 



184 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Hall were addressed much of the time by Dr. Toy, 
also. One night when Mr. Dickson was helping 
Dr. Ottman, a w^oman of the streets was seeking 
Christ at one side of the church, and a member of 
the legislature was seeking Him at the other. 

There were '' results" in the West Medford group 
also, while there was a change of leaders while the 
series of services were in progress. The Rev. W. F. 
Stewart finished his meetings on the evening of 
February 11, a local pastor preached the following 
night and brought a number of men and women to 
the decision point, and then the Rev. Ralph Gillam 
finished the meetings. The choir was all the time 
in charge of Claude Goodwin. There were fifty 
who went forward on Mr. Stewart's last night and 
the number of decisions in the aggregate was large. 
Enthusiasm marked the whole of the campaign and 
here, as in all the groups, the tidings of the wonders 
that were being T\Tought in the center brought cour- 
age and zeal to the campaigners. 

Then down in Quincy a work quiet but effective 
was being accomplished under the guidance of evan- 
gelist John Weaver Weddell with A. P. Briggs lead- 
ing the singing. Here also there were reconsecra- 
tions and conversions and the pointed appeals of 
the Gospel proved their power, as elsewhere in the 
sectional campaign. 

Dr. Weddell was most successful as a worker 
among boys. Knowing the sign language for the deaf 
and dumb, he met a company of 200 lads one after- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 185 

noon and "preached" to them, that is, he talked to 
them with his fingers. He recited for them Luke xv., 
the stories of the ninety and nine, the lost silver piece, 
and the prodigal son. After that unique service 
twenty-two boys followed him into the inquiry room. 

Meanwhile, over in the university city of Cam- 
bridge, a work of immense dimensions was going on 
under the direction of the man from Kansas. This 
evangelist was the Rev. Henry W. Stough, and his 
musical co-worker was D, Lansing Spooner. In fact, 
there were three of this company of leaders, for Mrs. 
Stough, the wife of the evangelist, was conducting 
meetings for women constantly. It was Cambridge 
that brought Dr. Chapman away from the center on 
two occasions, once for a "Quiet Hour" when the 
First Baptist church was filled on a wet and dreary 
morning, and again for the university service in 
Sanders theater. To Cambridge also the Ashers 
came several times, and Lawrence Greenwood con- 
ducted noonday shop meetings in several of the fac- 
tories of the city. The city was recognized as a 
strategic point and forces were brought to bear that 
captured it, a large part of it, and won for the revival 
Gospel not only a hearing, but the enthusiastic 
endorsement of thousands of people. 

The congregations ranged from one to two thou- 
sand and cards were signed by fifties and sixties and 
seventies. Overflow meetings were frequent and 
after the series got under way it was not often that 
one church was adequate for the crowds that thronged 



186 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

to the services. Dr. Stough spoke effectively to 
young people, and audiences of men, as well as to 
the usual mixed congregations. One day with a 
meeting for men in the First Baptist church there 
were two meetings for women at the same hour, one 
in the Pilgrim Congregational church, with Mrs, 
Stough as the speaker, and the other in the Prospect 
Street Congregational church, where the Rev. Dr. 
Alexander McKenzie, of the city, spoke. 

It was on the night of February 11 that it was an- 
nounced that the visitors would remain another week 
after the simultaneous meetings were to end, and the 
news was greeted with round after round of applause. 
The demonstration lasted several minutes and Dr. 
Stough was compelled to step forward in response. 
He made a modest reply and was again applauded to 
the echo. Then each one of the several pastors pres- 
ent expressed his gratitude that Dr. Stough was to 
remain, and with him Mr. Spooner, who had been 
leading the singing in Cambridge. 

On the night of February 21 the mayor of the 
city, the Hon. Walter C. Wardwell, came forward 
and made a public profession of faith, an incident that 
profoundly affected the congregation. The mayor 
had been an attentive attendant upon the services 
and had presided at some of them. He took the course 
of the others who expressed their purpose, raising his 
hand when the invitation was given and at length 
coming forward and stating plainly that he wished 
to confess Christ. In all there were many hundreds 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 187 

in the city who dated their start in Christian Hving 
from these meetings, and there were thousands who 
gained in them a fresh vision of the meaning of love 
and unselfishness and genuine service of humanity. 

The enthusiasm that was generated by the success- 
ful prosecution of the original plans for this series of 
Greater Boston simultaneous services proved so great 
that the supply of speakers and singers was not ade- 
quate. Requests began to come into headquarters 
for the listing of new groups and the furnishing of 
more evangelists. This was not possible. Dr. Chap- 
man's assistants kept the wires busy and sought in all 
parts of the country to get help. Several local men 
were enlisted, among them the Rev. Dr. William 
Minifie, who conducted meetings for sailors and men 
from the vessels in the harbor in the Hanover Street 
Chapel of the Boston Seamen's Friend Society. 

But it was not possible for new groups to be formed 
and affiliated after the series of services in the origi- 
nal groups had started. The new groups were as- 
sisted by the general committee, however, and they 
were regarded as co-operating in the one work. As 
soon as Dr. Arthur J. Smith was free at the close of 
the Melrose series he went to Winchester for a series 
of meetings to continue after the end of the Boston 
campaign. Similar plans were made in other subur- 
ban sections. 

Elaborate arrangements for ^'Echo Meetings" and 
plans complete and ingenious to keep the momentum 
that had been generated in the month of attention to 



188 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

''The King's Business" from sagging and stopping 
and to conserve the results that had been secured 
and the conquests that had been won were put into 
operation before Dr. Chapman and his assistants 
left the city. 

In Lynn, where Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander, 
with Mr. Harkness and Ernest Naftzger, had ap- 
peared for two nights before they held their first night 
service in Tremont Temple, group meetings were at 
once started when the Boston series ended. The West 
Lynn group inaugurated its series with the Rev. 
Thomas Needham and John W. Reynolds as leaders. 

The Rev. Ora S. Gray went to the central group, 
with Charles F. Allen as music director. In East 
Lynn the Rev. Frank Grans taff and Owen F. Pugh 
took charge and a Swampscott group was formed, 
C. P. Harris as singer and the Rev. S. P. Perry as 
evangelist. This was the most extensive campaign 
that had started, although meetings were at once 
begun in Chelsea, Wakefield, and in many other places. 

Whenever possible members of the corps of evan- 
gelists had been going out to neighboring cities for a 
single address. Notable among these flying visits 
was that of G. B. T. Davis to the Wadsworth class 
of the Center Methodist church of Brockton, as the 
guest of President Daniel W. Pennman. Here he 
spoke to 1,500 men on soul-winning and the work of 
the Pocket Testament League. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 189 

GETTING BEFORE THE PUBLIC AND 
STAYING THERE 

There was a great deal more to ^^The King's Busi- 
ness" than the leading of great audiences in song and 
the preaching of '^straight Gospel sermons," day after 
day. There were a lot of "people out of sight" who 
looked after a multitude of details in the organizing 
and carrying on of the big campaign. Theirs was 
hard work, and they had to do it without getting the 
uplift which comes from facing congregations of 
eager people. All their work was in order to getting 
these congregations into the right place at the right 
time, where they might have the opportunity to re- 
spond to the appeals of the singers and the invitations 
of the speakers. The leaders who were in the full 
glare of the lime-light, and who were lifted and in- 
spired now by the quietness and again by the enthusi- 
asm of their audiences, could not have done their 
work and won thousands of recruits for the armies of 
the King had they not been lifted into the public eye 
by the devoted labors of these workers, whom many 
of the men and women who packed the auditoriums, 
week by week, never saw. 

One of the busiest places in the city was up on the 
seventh floor of Tremont Temple, where the offices of 
the movement were established. For these head- 
quarters two small offices and the large room used as 
a social hall were equipped for the evangelists. 

In one of the smaller rooms was found for about 



190 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

two-thirds of the twenty-four hoiii's each day the Rev. 
Duncan A. MacPhie, the secretary of the local com- 
mittee; George R. Whitney, the bookkeeper; E. G. 
Chapman, brother of the evangelist, who was the man- 
ager of all the affairs of the corps of evangelists and 
singers except those which pertain to the spiritual side 
of their work, and Frank Harold, the newspaper rep- 
resentative, who came from Philadelphia and who 
has looked after the reporters in many campaigns. 
Each of these men had his own desk. 

In the larger room was the desk of W. H. H. Bry- 
ant, the treasurer of the local committee, and another 
desk where George E. Briggs, chairman of the com- 
mittee of finance, spent several hours each day. 

In addition to this group of men there were several 
stenographers and typewriters employed all the time. 
While the public may not have known what the 
movement owed to these men and others to be named, 
the evangelists and the local leaders appreciated them. 
More than once Dr. Chapman himself referred in 
terms of glowing eulogy to his brother. 

If ever men showed their knowledge of the worth 
of printer's ink these ^^ King's Business" campaigners 
did. There were ^^ King's Business" stickers, just 
the right size to go up on the corner of a letter or 
any other document, and they were pretty in de- 
sign and the white type stood out on a red ground. 
There were ^^ King's Business" blotters, and they 
were distributed in hundreds of offices and hotels. 
Envelopes were bought by the ten thousand with 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 191 

''Simultaneous Evangelistic Meetings in Greater Bos- 
ton/' and the dates and headquarters running across 
the top and the red seal of the movement in the corner 
opposite the one where the stamp was to go. There 
were posters of every conceivable size and design, 
some for big walls and some for waistcoat pockets. 
The street cars carried the posters of the movement. 
Business men had their stenographers drop a little 
pasteboard announcement into their letters before 
they went into the mail. 

Then the cards advertising the services in the cen- 
ter and the other twenty-four groups were of all col- 
ors and all styles of printing. Some of them had the 
dignified refinement of a lady's calling card; others 
were so flaunting and lurid that they challenged the 
attention. It was no rare experience to get a post- 
card through kindness of Uncle Sam and turning it 
over to read, " Wanted — A Man," and then in smaller 
type the place where one might go and hear what 
kind of man was wanted. ''There's a theater ticket 
lying in the street," you said one day, and you picked 
it up and read, "An Old-Fashioned Home: Dr. Chap- 
man's Subject, Tremont Temple, Monday Night." 
The card was shaped like a theater ticket, and it had 
a coupon end like one; but it wasn't — it was an in- 
vitation to hear the evangelist. 

Out in Melrose they used cards one day with a big 
X in red across their face. They announced the 
"converts' rally," on "Red-Letter Day." On the 
same Sunday the Upham's Corner group were using 



192 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

a small oblong card to announce a meeting for men 
only, and in Everett the word ''Shams" stood out on 
a black ground so blatantly that it almost struck you 
in the face. There were cards bearing the photo- 
graphs of evangelist and singer, and there were cards 
without them; cards with a single word, and some 
with long announcements in series; there were cards 
used by the children's expert in South Boston with 
pictures of little girls playing with their dolls and 
boys making kites. 

Before the evangelists came they had sent their 
office force ahead and the headquarters in Tremont 
Temple had been opened. Then they made it clear 
to the newspapers that their agent, Mr. Harold, was 
at their service. He had photographs by the hun- 
dred of singers, preachers, local leaders, pastors, and 
committeemen. He had brief biogi'aphies of all the 
visitors. There were booklets of information about 
the plan and the success that had attended the si- 
multaneous campaigns elsewhere. Mr. Harold did a 
good bit of the reporters' work for them in advance. 

Then there was the Rev. Dr. Herbert S. Johnson, 
chairman of the local publicity committee, and George 
E. Briggs, of the finance committee, and W. H. H. 
Bryant, treasurer, who gave interviews to the press. 
Soon the editors and proprietors of the Boston news- 
papers began to think that something unusual was 
likely to happen in the city. ''Get busy," they said 
to men assigned to cover the meetings. 

So when Dr. Chapman arrived there was a reporter 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 193 

at his elbow when he sat down to his oatmeal at 
breakfast in his hotel. When Mr. Alexander came 
the newspaper men wanted to know about ''He will 
Hold Me Fast," and one of them speedily arranged 
that his paper should run a hymn and two columns 
of incidents associated with it every day of the cam- 
paign. These articles wxre written and the hymns 
selected by Mr. Alexander himself and his secre- 
tary Mr. Bookmyer, and they were signed in fac- 
simile with his name and his motto, 2 Timothy ii. 15. 
Another paper ''ran" a "morning word from Dr 
Chapman" on its first page for three weeks. Another 
had a sermonette day by day. One of the dailies 
added also a series of "Dr. Chapman's Stories." 

The reporters were "sizing up" the visitors and 
they decided that there was "good stuff there." They 
went after the man who was the hero of an adventure 
on a cannibal island and the man who carried a suit- 
case organ into the saloons and the jails and held 
services in them with his wife. Interviews were 
legion. Sketch artists went to the services and drew 
the leaders "in action," but there were no caricatures. 
The Alexander song book was seized by many of the 
papers and they photographed pages and reproduced 
them. Wherever the evangelists went they were 
exposed to the snap-shotter. One daily printed in fac- 
simile the notes which Dr. Chapman had used in de- 
livering his sermon of the night before. The "Glory 
Song" in Chinese appeared, and Robert Harkness 
and the orignal draft of one of his hymns. All the 



194 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

papers printed the ^'Call to Prayer" which appears 

below : 

A CALL TO PRAYER 

I am profoundly impressed with the depth of spiritual in- 
terest which has been aroused in connection with the Boston 
Evangelistic Campaign. I confess I have never seen a city 
so moved as is this one up to the present time ; but because these 
things are true I feel more and more THE NECESSITY OF 
PRAYER. In order that this city may be thoroughly awak- 
ened, New England aroused, and the entire country moved for 
God, I send forth this appeal to the Christian people, not only 
of Boston, but also of America, to pray as never before; and I 
suggest the following as being worthy of your consideration: 

THE COVENANT OF PRAYER 

With God's help I will endeavor to spend 10 minutes or more 
daily, alone or with others, in special prayer for the Evangelists, 
for the unsaved, and for a great spiritual awakening in Boston. 
This covenant to continue until the close of the mission on 
Feb. 21. 

Name 

Cut this out and keep it in yoiir Bible. 
"Ask, and it SHALL be given you." 

J. WILBUR CHAPMAN. 

All this time the papers were printing columns and 
pages about the meetings, day after day. The evan- 
gelists were unbounded in their expressions of grati- 
tude and appreciation. Day after day they referred 
to the work the papers were doing and urged people 
to buy them and send them far and wide. The re- 
porters found it embarrassing to listen to the eulogies 
of the press. Nor was that all. Rumors got afloat 
that the papers had been bought and Dr. Conrad and 
Dr. Chapman several times stated publicly that the 
papers had been paid not one penny for their reports. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 195 

Many times, too, when the people from out of town 
were given opportunity to speak in the meetings they 
prefaced their remarks with a phrase that to the re- 
porters seemed almost rubber stamped: ^'WeVe been 
reading about it in the papers." 

Then the evangelists brought quantities of printed 
matter with them, booklets, folders, and membership 
cards. For the aid and direction of the pastors in 
their post-revival work for the conservation of the 
fruits of the meetings there were 16-page booklets 
called ''The King's Business Covenant of Service." 
Another pamphlet of the same size was distributed 
when the preparations were made for "Church Day." 
It had been prepared by Dr. Chapman and nine of 
the other evangelists. "A Day of Blessing After the 
Revival," — 12 pages — prepared by the Rev, F, T. 
Keeney, of Syracuse, and endorsed by Dr. Chapman, 
was given out in all the centers. "Decision Day in 
the Sunday-School" was a pamphlet of 32 pages. 
Then the " Chapman- Alexander Prayer Circle" cards, 
designed for those who would agree to pray the evan- 
gelistic party around the world, were distributed at 
the very close of the meetings. On the night that the 
875 inquirers passed in review in the Temple each one 
was given a beautiful little booklet with the pictures 
of the evangelist and the singer and a series of sugges- 
tions for keeping the covenant they had made. 

New indications of the strategic ability of Dr. 
Chapman were disclosed almost every day. When 
"Church Day" was near it seemed advisable to fire 



196 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

the enthusiasm of the pastors with the proposition 
that it ^^ could be done/' that a service could be held 
in every one of the participating churches on the 
morning of the day, at 9 :30 or 6 :30, or any hour that 
might seem most promising. So several hundred pas- 
tors and a large number of the visitors were assem- 
bled at a noonday luncheon in Park Street lecture 
room. The Rev. Dr. 0. P. Gifford presided and gave 
Colonel E. H. Haskell three minutes, the Rev. Dr. 
Van Allen one minute, and then called upon the evan- 
gelist. He begged the pastors to go forward with the 
enterprise, told them how it had been done elsewhere 
and stirred them to a high pitch of feeling. Then 
when the day came ^4t was done." 

So again, when the month of revival effort was 
close to its end a move was made to fire the laymen 
with the conviction that they could do more in the 
service and that they might make their pastors ''evan- 
gelistic preachers and soul-winners." So a reception 
and dinner was held in Ford Hall. Mayor Hibbard 
was in the receiving line. Ex-Governor Bates was at 
the dinner and made a rousing speech. Telegrams 
were interchanged with Gypsy Smith in Kansas City. 
Letters were read from Lieutenant-Governor Froth- 
ingham, the Hon. Samuel B. Capen, and ''the man 
who had made these simultaneous evangelistic cam- 
paigns possible," John H. Converse, of Philadelphia. 
Owen F. Pugh, the Welsh singer, had a little skir- 
mish with a brother Welshman in the balcony. There 
was considerable singing and a number of addresses. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 197 

Then when everybody was at high pitch the evan- 
gelist made his address and told the laymen what his 
own men had done for him when he was pastor of 
Bethany church in Philadelphia and what they might 
do for their pastors. Then he added another to his 
series of pleas for civic service. He said: "1 also 
want to pay my tribute to Boston as the greatest city 
in its homes, in its business men, in its churches, that 
I ever saw. But Hsten! You can make it one thou- 
sand times better. Yes, you can make it the greatest 
city in the world in morality, in civic righteousness, 
in brotherly love and in service to God." 

THE FOUR DAYS IN THE MECHANICS 
BUILDING 

There were not a few of the most ardent advocates 
of the revival movement that contemplated with a 
considerable degree of misgiving the change from 
Tremont Temple to the grand hall of the Mechanics 
Building for the last four days of the campaign. The 
plan was conceived by Dr. Conrad, the chairman, and 
had been agreed upon long in advance of the coming 
of the evangehsts. On Wednesday, February 17, the 
group series of services came to an end in all the par- 
ticipating churches save where, in some cases, they 
were continued by special arrangement. But the 
idea of the leaders in the enterprise was that all the 
forces which had been combined for the Greater Bos- 
ton campaign should be massed in these last days for 
one supreme effort. 



198 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Their hopes were justified. The seven meetings in 
the largest auditorium in the city of Boston gave the 
whole of New England an object lesson which the 
leaders esteem of superlative value. The grand hall 
in this big building was not built for church purposes. 
There was no room available for such after-meetings 
as were held in Lorimer Hall. The place is not 
adapted to soul-winning uses. It is just a vast audito- 
rium. But the evangelists, pastors, and committee 
members triumphed over all difficulties. In spite of 
the fact that people had to go in some cases across the 
city to get to the building, that its location is not cen- 
tral, and that it is not an attractive auditorium, the 
meetings therein began and continued with power and 
zest and ended with a splendid outburst of enthusiasm. 

Two hours before the appointed time on the first 
evening the tide set towards the building, and within 
a few minutes of the opening of the doors it was filled. 
At the rear seats for 1,500 choir singers had been 
built, tier upon tier, in the shape of a great triangle, 
clear up and back to the wall, and they converged 
to a point away out in the hall, where a platform ten 
feet high had been built for the chairman and speaker. 
Upon this was a box which lifted Charles M. Alex- 
ander three feet nearer the roof when he led the sing- 
ing. Dr. Chapman stood beside it to preach. From 
the front the choir looked like a three-paneled fan, 
with the white -wais ted altos and sopranos on either 
side and the dark-coated men in the middle making 
a panel of black between the two. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 199 

The room was draped with banners and bunting. 
Red, white, and blue wrapped the pillars, hung from 
the arches, and festooned the gallery railings. These 
decorations were left over from a social affair of the 
night before, and they greatly relieved the barren- 
ness of the hall. 

When the doors were opened there were 10,000 peo- 
ple in front of the building. Every car that passed, 
and there were a lot of extras on the line, emptied its 
load of people in front of the doors. They came from 
near and far. Here stood a man who lived around 
the block and had not had the foresight to start two 
hours in advance of the announced time for the ser- 
vice to begin, and next him was a woman who had 
come all the way from a remote hamlet in Vermont 
to get some of the enthusiasm of these Boston meet- 
ings. 

The sight inside the hall was one to fire the imagi- 
nation of the most sluggish spectator. AH the seats 
were taken on the floor and in the first gallery and 
around the seated people were fringes of men and 
women standing five rows deep on all sides, upstairs 
and down. Then there was the upper gallery which 
had been opened that first night as an experiment. 
There were no chairs and the people stood three and 
four rows back from the rail, stretching and straining 
to see as well as hear. These top balconies ran the 
length of the building on either side. Then at the 
front were several bird-cage-like balconies, each hold- 
ing its scores of listeners. 



200 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

For a few minutes the audience stared about and 
they found the spectacle one that fully occupied their 
eyes. But when Mr. Alexander mounted his platform 
and offered the word of invocation with which he 
always began his song service there was silence and 
attention. Then Robert Harkness swept his hands 
over the piano and the great chorus flooded the hall 
with an ocean of song. It was a new chorus in a 
way. That is, it was made up of the choirs that had 
been singing in the gi^oup centers, and although they 
had become familiar mth most of the hymns in the 
Alexander collection, they had not been singing under 
his direction, except that fraction that had come from 
Tremont Temple. But the leader Alexanderized them 
all, and the opening h}Tiin, ^' Shall We Gather at the 
River/' was rendered with impressive effect. 

The very bigness of the hall was an advantage in 
one way; it gave the director a chance to do "stunts" 
that were impossible in the smaller auditorium. 

The text upon which Dr. Chapman spoke was 2 
Kings Yi. 6: "And the man of God said, \\Tiere fell 
he? And he showed him the place. And he cut a 
stick and cast it in and the iron did swim." 

The speaker told the story of the swimming axe- 
head and of the relations of the prophets, Elijah and 
Elisha. "The man upon whose shoulders descended 
the mantle of Elijah," he continued, "did not '^Tap 
it about him merely to enjoy the sense of comfort that 
it produced. He did not lay it aside as a keepsake of 
w^hich always to be proud. He was not inflated by 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 201 

spiritual pride because of it. He at once proceeded 
to use it as his great Master had used it. 

^^ There are many Christians who are axe-handle 
folk. For them the axe-head is gone. To be sure you 
can go on swinging the axe-handle and fifty feet away 
it will look just the same. But that great tree will 
not come down. And remember that the experience 
of a multitude teaches that it is a good deal easier to 
live the life that is the real thing than to go through 
the motions of the form of religion. 

"'Where fell he?' is the question of the text. 
'And he showed him the place.' Where did you 
fall? Do you know the place where you lost the Lord? 
You lost out when you denied the teaching of your 
boyhood. And you lost out when you forgot the 
counsel of your mother. And when you closed your 
eyes to the light of the truth. You went to the 
questionable place; you indulged the perilous habit; 
you became fascinated with the sin that the multi- 
tude was following. 

"There are people here who are like the axe-head, 
in that they are submerged, submerged in sin. How 
shall we get them out? The scientist will tell us that 
our methods are not scientific. The sociologist that 
our social system is out of joint. The philosopher 
that we must teach the people. The apostle of the 
new environment that we must just give the sinner 
a new surrounding. I sympathize with them all. But 
they can't get the axe-head up. Once up, they may 
polish it and temper it, but it is the Christ that has 



202 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

been lifted up that will bring sinners out of the 
depths." 

After the sermon Dr. Chapman gave an oppor- 
tunity for those who did not wish to remain to leave 
the hall and a few hundred yielded their seats to 
others who had been standing. In the after-meeting 
the evangelist's daughter, Mrs. C. P. Goodson, sang 
''The Invitation Hymn." Dr. Chapman asked for a 
lifting of hands, and then for those who wished to 
make their start in the Christian life to come forward. 

There were 1,000 persons, half of them men, in- 
cluding several prominent business men, who came 
into the big open space before the platform and into 
the aisles. Added to these were 200 who lifted their 
hands in the gallery. 

Then a man who was described as "once a minister, 
but who had fallen and lately made a new start," who 
had been led to the platform, was asked by the leader 
to say a word to the thousands massed before him. 
The man's voice choked as he said: "I want just 
to say that after six dreary, fierce years of struggle 
and fight and rebellion, I have given up to God. Now 
I surrender all, and I am His now and for eternity 
to do His blessed will." 

"In many respects," said Dr. Chapman, "this is 
the most memorable service I have ever seen. I have 
seen more people and, of course, Mr. Alexander has, 
but there is a wonderful atmosphere of sympathy 
pervading this room. 

"Do you know I have come to love Boston? Why, 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 203 

when I had occasion to-day to visit the lower part of 
the city, a httle newsboy ran up to me and said: 
'Aren't you Dr. Chapman?' Then he asked: 'Won't 
you shake hands with me?' And I felt honored. 
Yes, I love this city, where the Lord is so manifest- 
ing His power, and I offer you hope and peace and 
power to-night." 

The next day, Friday, February 19, was "New 
England Day," This ''Day" was the invention of 
Dr. Conrad, who had been receiving letters and tele- 
grams, day after day, asking if seats could not be 
reserved for delegations and car-load lots of people 
from towns and cities in all the New England states 
who wished to come down to Boston for the revival, 
and would come if they could be assured that they 
would be able to get into the building after they 
arrived. So when the move to the bigger auditorium 
was made, reservations of sections of the great hall 
were set aside for these outside attendants, and they 
were notified through the press and by the letters of 
their friends that at last they might plan to attend 
some of the Chapman-Alexander services. 

There were two meetings on New England Day, 
one at noon, the other the regular night service. 
There were 5,000 at the noon meeting. There were 
but few of them from Boston proper, and such an 
attendance had not been anticipated from out of 
town. From Lowell there came a special train bear- 
ing 150 Methodists. On another train came fifty 
Presbyterians from the same city. They traveled 



204 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

in separate trains, but they got together in the hall. 
Dr. Chapman, as an accommodation to the news- 
paper men, asked people who were from out of town 
to stand up, first calling the names of the cities one 
by one. Only scattered individuals responded to 
this call. Then Dr. Chapman said: 

^'Well, all of you who are from out of town, from 
any city or town, stand up," and the entire audience, 
man, woman, and child, rose to its feet. ^' Well, now 
tell me where you are from," said the preacher, and 
there was a din of responses, so that it was impossible 
to tell just which towns and how many from each 
town had come. But there were people there from as 
far as Holyoke and Northampton in Massachusetts, 
and every state in New England was represented. 

There was a song service that lasted thirty min- 
utes. Mr. Alexander swung his mighty chorus from 
one hymn to another, hushing it or raising it at will. 
Then he spied a row of artillerymen in uniform in 
the balcony. ^^Sing 'He Will Hold Me Fast,'" he 
shouted up to them. 

''Show your courage," he urged, as they wavered. 
And then, "1 heard the British soldiers sing that in 
great shape," he added. 

The American artillerymen stood to their guns 
after that. 

Dr. Chapman spoke that noon upon the Revela- 
tion of St. John V. 9: "And they sung a new song." 

For twenty minutes he talked on these few words. 
He drew from them a description of heaven; he used 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 205 

them again and again throughout his sermon. He 
drew from his fund of stories to illustrate his points, 
always drawing nearer and nearer the climax. 

That climax came with the question: ^''And they 
sung a new song ' — are you going to sing it up 
yonder? I want you to settle before the next minute 
is past whether you will sing this new song in eter- 
nity or not. I want you to decide. Your mother 
will sing it. Will you, I wonder?" 

In his eagerness, the speaker stood two steps down 
on the platform, and that much nearer his audience. 

^'I want you to raise your hands if you aren't 
sure you will, but want to," he said. 

A hand shot up. In a second there were a hundred. 
Everywhere hands were raised, perhaps 1,500 in all — 
every one of them belonging to some man or woman 
who wanted to sing the new song in eternity, but 
wasn't sure they would, and wanted to be prayed for. 

There were 8,000 people in the hall again that 
night, but the number that had to wait outside was 
even greater than on the night before. When before 
the after-service began a chance was given for all who 
desired to leave some hundreds went out, but fully a 
thousand were admitted who had been waiting pa- 
tiently without. Before the doors were opened the 
throng outside had held an impromptu song service. 
A woman with a contralto voice had started it by 
beginning to sing '^ Nearer, My God, to Thee," and the 
crowd liked the idea and sang the hymn with her. 
Then followed ''What a Friend We Have in Jesus/' 



206 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

''In the Sweet Bye and Bye/' and others of the old 
favorites that every one knew, and windows were 
thrown up far up Huntington Avenue by people who 
had heard the big chorus. The whirr and rattle of 
the electrics that were passing every minute was not 
heard by the singers, nor did the switching engines 
in the railway yards drown them out. 

Mr. Alexander had a new plank in the platform 
under his feet and he blended jocularity judiciously 
with severity in his disciplining of the chorus. Now 
he complimented them, again he coaxed and occasion- 
ally he scolded. He made them practice getting up. 
They had been rising in sections and it didn't look 
well. When the sopranos, some of them, were caught 
dragging on a song he ordered the slow ones to sit 
down and there was just a touch of dudgeon in the 
promptness with which two or three obyed him. 
But all the people sang and sang with all their might 
when he swung his arms wide, and then they whis- 
pered their gentlest when he put his hands palms out. 
The choir got the seats designed for them that night 
for the first time. Some of the crowd had been 
''rushing" their seats. But a delegation of men from 
Fort Banks were at the hall to assist the police and 
they saved the choir places. There was an overflow 
of singers on either side down in the angle under 
the platform, and they stood behind ropes, stretched 
to keep a space clear, throughout the service. 

That was the night when a minister whom Dr. 
Chapman had referred to several times was present 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 207 

and gave his testimony. The sermon was based upon 
Romans vi. 23: ^'The wages of sin is death, but the 
gift of God is eternal hfe." Dr. Chapman referred 
to those who laughed at him when he spoke in terms 
of warning about gambling and about drink. 

'^If you staggered in here drunk you would listen 
to me. But you are respectable, and your respect- 
ability blinds you to the facts of the danger and the 
penalty of sin. 

^'You smile at my words about the reality of sin 
and you wonder how it is possible to get so wrought 
over what seems so unreal to you. 

^' There was a man in the audience here to-night 
who asked me to promise that I would try to say 
something that would lead him to Christ. A woman 
met me in the aisle there last night and told me 
she was in the bonds of sin and that she could not 
break them. 

^^And yet men wonder that I am in earnest when I 
talk about the awfulness of sin. 

'^But, remember," and here the preacher stepped 
down two of the stairs at the front of the platform 
and swung his hand high into the air with a Bible 
gripped in his fingers, '^ remember, that while we are 
in the power of sin the gift of God is eternal life." 

It was in the course of this sermon that the speaker 
had said: "A man came to me to-day and placed his 
hand in mine, an old friend and a preacher of power. 
Men sobbed and they shouted under his preaching as 
they never have done under mine. But that man 



208 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

went to the depths of sin, and for years he was away 
from Christ. God has restored him. To-day he 
looked into my face, with a clear eye and clasped my 
hand with a grip as firm as my ovra. He gave me a 
letter which I had written him five years ago, and he 
told me he had carried it every day all these years. 
I'll keep that letter always. I mean to frame it 
and leave it to my children." 

A little later, in the after-meeting. Dr. Chapman 
called upon this man to speak. He came to the evan- 
gelist's side and upon the platform said: 

^' There never could be a man more amazed than I 
at the reference to myself that was made by my 
friend. Yet all that he said was true. I once stood 
in a pulpit in the South, with 1,000 members before 
me. But I thought myself flattered by the atten- 
tions of a great man, and I went a step beyond safety, 
and that was ' the little rift within the lute ' that de- 
stroyed the music of my life. Did I suffer? Those 
five years were hell to me. That letter which came 
from my friend, so full of yearning tenderness, broke 
my heart and brought me back to Christ." 

Then at the end, when the appeal was made, about 
400 came forward to give token of their intention to 
adopt the Cluistian life. The majority of them, as 
had been the case in every service, were men. 

Satiu-day, the 21st, was ^'Gospel Song Day." In 
the afternoon the chorus came to lead the congrega- 
tion in a '^big sing." There were 7,000 who sang, 
1,200 of them in the choir, for the men and women. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 209 

hundreds of them, who had been in attendance upon 
the night meetings were not able to leave their busi- 
ness to come to the meetings in the afternoon. Dr. 
Chapman offered a prayer and made one or two 
announcements and then turned the meeting over to 
his co-worker. For it was Alexander day and the 
musical director had things all his own way for two 
hours, and he enjoyed it, and the 7,000 enjoyed it. 
There were very few in that audience that did not 
sing. Some discovered for the first time that they 
had voices, and that they could keep tune and time. 
Scores of the people clamored for their favorite hymns. 
Several new soloists appeared. Mr. Alexander dis- 
covered them. Among them were small boys and 
men and women of all ages. 

One of them was '' Williams," whom Mr. Alexan- 
der described as the man who ^'brought an intoxicated 
man into Tremont Temple three weeks ago and then 
came to Christ himself." '^Williams" told the people 
of the joy he had found in ^^ charitable work these 
weeks," and then he stood in front of Mr. Alexander 
upon the platform and sang one of the revival hymns. 

Then a small boy in knickerbockers up in the top 
gallery was located by the keen-eared director and he 
had the lad sing alone. The hymn was the one which 
Dr. Conrad had just announced as his favorite among 
the Alexander collection. ''God Will Take Care of 
You." The lad sang it first from his place in the gal- 
lery and then, upon the guarantee of Mr. Alexander 
that he would see that Dr. Conrad gave him a Bible, 



210 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

the boy came down to the platform and sang the 
song. He was Norman Sharpe, the son of the Rev. 
Arthm* P. Sharpe of Dorchester. 

Robert Harkness, the pianist, had to sing. The 
congregation agreed with the leader that the man 
who wrote many of these hymns ought to be made to 
sing one of them, so Mr. Harkness took his place at 
the piano and to his own accompaniment sang 
''Keep on Praying." 

The last song was the climax of the occasion. Sit- 
ting close to the piano all the afternoon was an old 
man with gray hair framing his face and falling over 
his shoulders. He had leaned over the piano from 
time to time and with his hands behind his ears 
strained to catch the flood of harmony from the 
chorus massed about him. 

It was announced that this was L. 0. Emerson, 
89 years of age, and so deaf that he was not able to 
hear the music produced by his own hands when he 
played the piano. Many years ago he had written 
the tune, '* Sessions," to which the Doxology has 
often been sung. At Mr. Alexander's suggestion, 
Robert Harkness gave up his seat at the piano to 
the veteran, and Mr. Emerson played the tune which 
he had composed. The audience recognized the 
work of a master and he had a great burst of applause 
which he could not hear. Then, with Mr. Alex- 
ander directing, the choir sang the tune to the ac- 
companiment of the composer. 

''He can't hear, but he can see," shouted Mr. Alex- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 211 

ander. "Give him a salute." Out came thousands 
of handkerchiefs, and a waving billow of white filled 
the hall while the composer bowed over the key- 
board of the piano. 

In the evening Dr. Chapman faced and Mr. Alex- 
ander directed the singing of the largest throng of 
people that they had seen at any single service since 
they came to Boston. 

There were 10,000 people in the hall, 2,000 more 
than had been present on the two previous evenings. 
When the doors were opened the people rushed into 
the big room in a swirling mass that the officers, of 
whom a large number were on duty at the entrances, 
found some difficulty in keeping under control. 

They quickly filled all the seats on the floor, and 
in the first gallery, streamed up to the second gal- 
lery, and there, with no chairs to be had, they stood 
four deep from the rail throughout the service. Then 
they were wedged together at the back and along 
the walls of the main floor, where in many places 
they stood fifteen and twenty deep. At the corners 
at the front, under the choir platform, they were 
roped off in two big triangles. 

It was necessary to seat 300 of the choir in the 
front row of floor seats, while the remaining 1,500 
of the chorus were seated on the fan-shaped plat- 
form at the front and back of the speaker's stand 
and at the ends of the first gallery. 

It was a quiet throng in the building, and their 
demeanor was that of a reverent congregation in 



212 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 



attendance upon the stated Sabbath services of their 
churches. Two thousand people were waiting outside, 
but they were also still. The services had all the char- 
acteristics of the Chapman- Alexander meetings; a 
flood of sound, a message, simple and direct, in which 
warning of the results and the horror of sin was 
mingled with pleas based upon the love of God, and 
a response by scores of men and women who ex- 
pressed their purpose by the lifted hand and then by 
coming to the front before the platform. 

While they were standing thus, with Dr. Chapman 
upon the steps of the platform, with Dr. Conrad upon 
one side and Commander G. B. Coombs, of the Salva- 
tion Army of the Dominion of Canada, upon the other, 
Mrs. Goodson, the evangelist's daughter, sang a hymn 
and then Dr. Chapman asked those who were willing 
to come the whole way and to decide the whole 
question to kneel. In a moment 100 people were 
on their knees, while thousands looked down upon 
them in the stillness in which the evangelist offered 
prayer. 

Among the requests for prayer which Dr Chapman 
read was one in behalf of an old man of 93, 'Vho is 
soon to cross the river," and another, written by a 
father, in which he asks that he and his sons might be 
prayed for. The one that caused a murmur of sur- 
prise w^as that of a son who asked prayer in behalf of 
his mother. There have been many requests by 
mothers for sons. These letters and a large number 
of others which the leader did not read were held 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 213 

up before the audience, and then all were asked to 
join in a moment of silent prayer. 

The sermon was on ''The Unpardonable Sin," and 
the text was Matthew xii. 31-32: ''AH manner of sin 
and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the 
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be for- 
given unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word 
against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but 
whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall 
not be forgiven him, either in this world, neither in 
the world to come." 

Then came the final day, Sunday, February 21, 
and the climax meetings of the series. In the after- 
noon there were 9,000 people in the grand hall and 
7,000 of them were men, and in the evening the su- 
perintendent of the building himself estimated the 
audience at 12,000. Both afternoon and evening 
there were other thousands who were shut outside, 
unable to secure admission to the hall. Most of 
those on the outside at the afternoon meeting kept 
their places on the steps of the building and in the 
street until the service terminated at 5 o'clock, but 
then they were not permitted to enter the hall, as the 
police had orders to clear the building, and the doors 
were not reopened until an hour before the time sched- 
uled for the night service to begin. Most of the waiters 
continued to wait the extra hour and a half. 

There was an impromptu song service outside the 
building again before the hall was open at 2 o'clock, 
and then when the doors did swing wide there was a 



214 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

rush that filled the building, floor, galleries, and 
standing room, in twenty minutes. The chorus mem- 
bers were admitted on presentation of their tickets at 
a side entrance and there were 1,800 of them in their 
places. Some time before the arrival of their leader 
the tenor section started a song service and speedily 
the basses and the other sections of the choir joined 
in. They had no pianist either, but they sang ^'He 
Will Hold Me Fast," and several others of the favor- 
ite and familiar hymns, to the delight of the audience. 
''You don't seem to need us," said Mr. Alexander 
with a smile as he and Mr. Harkness took their places. 
He had the chorus and congregation sing '' Looking 
This Way," and then he asked the fathers present 
who had a boy or girl in heaven to sing it. Perhaps 
a thousand men sang the verse and the effect was 
very dramatic. Ernest Naftzger sang a hymn and 
the Lotos Quartet sang several times. 

The message of the evangelist on this last after- 
noon was founded upon Jeremiah xii. 5: ''How wilt 
thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?" He dwelt 
especially upon the caves in which sinners hide, of 
intemperance, infidelity, and morality, especially. 

He spoke of the saloon evil particularly, he said, 
because he had been criticized for not saying more 
against it in his talks to the people of Boston. He 
characterized drunkenness as ''the most blasting and 
blighting sin that sweeps through the country," and 
told his hearers that they would soon have to face 
the drink problem in a new way as a result of the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 215 

wave of temperance that is coming from the South. 
Two-thirds of the audience raised their hands when 
he asked how many of them had been affected directly 
or indirectly by intemperance. 

^^It is not necessary/' said Dr. Chapman, 'Hhat I 
should preach to you this afternoon. There sits in 
this audience an aged father. He sent to Maine for 
one of his boys that he might come to Christ. And 
then he sent to New Hampshire for another boy, and 
that boy is here to-day, and almost before our ser- 
vice was begun he gave himself to Jesus. There's 
your sermon." 

The aged father of whom Dr. Chapman spoke is 
John Knight, of Brighton, and it was his son Frank 
who had professed conversion. 

^^ Against sin I lift up my voice this afternoon. I 
do not mention drunkenness first because I think it 
the worst. It is not. But it is the cause of sins. 
And I have an idea that it is the sin which sweeps 
with the most blasting and blighting touch through 
the community, and in the wake of it all other sins 
seem to follow. If you are yielding to that sin, you 
are not simply hurting yourselves, but others. 

^'Some men are in the cave of infidelity. If you 
are an honest skeptic I have no harsh word for you. 
But I have no respect for the man who sticks his 
fingers in his vest and sneers and tells me my faith 
and the faith of his mother is old-fashioned, and that 
he has grown away from it. It is an awful thing to 
put God out of your life and sneer. 



216 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

^^Some men are in the cave of morality. I know 
you — men who would blush to do a mean thing 
and hate sin, men who have cheered us on in our 
preaching and singing. But here is something you 
must face: 'Cursed is every one that continue th not 
in all the things.' You will fall short unless you 
are united to Him." 

Then when the invitation was given at the close 
of his appeal several hundred men came into the 
open space at the foot of the stairs to the platform 
and in the wide aisles, and got on their knees with 
the evangelist in their midst. Almost all of them 
were shedding contrite tears. 

The meeting that night, the last meeting, was the 
greatest of them all. There had been a succession 
of "greatests" in the course of the campaign, and it 
had not seemed possible that the meetings of Satur- 
day night and Sunday afternoon could be surpassed. 
They were sm-passed, however; surpassed in the 
number of people who were admitted to the gi'and 
hall, in the size of the chorus, and in certain of 
the scenes which marked this farewell gathering. 
Then, too, the appeal of the evangelist was delivered 
w^th more dramatic emphasis than he had permitted 
himself to employ at any of the ser\dces of the 
twenty-five days of the campaign. There were no 
more seats in the hall than at the pre^dous meeting, 
but there were many more people standing. It was 
estimated by competent observers that the total was 
between 11^000 and 12,000. Probably 4,000 were 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 217 

unable to get into the hall. The doors were opened 
at 6:25 and in ten minutes the hall was filled. Be- 
lated ticket-holders were refused admission by the 
police, of whom there were a sergeant and twenty- 
one patrolmen about the building. 

Many persons stood throughout the service in the 
back of the wide passages off the floor and the gal- 
leries, where they could not see the speakers and 
singers, but were able to hear the songs and the 
sermon. Scores of women sat upon the floor and 
listened. One young girl climbed the elevator net- 
ting and peered over the heads of the people in the 
top gallery. 

At 7 o'clock the ushers, through megaphones, 
called out of the windows to the thousands in the 
street that there was no chance to get into the hall, 
and directed them to neighboring churches. Very 
few of the waiting crowd were willing to leave, how- 
ever, and about 1,000 of them had the reward of their 
patience, when, after the sermon, the doors were 
opened for the exit of those who could not stay for 
the after-meeting. Their places were quickly filled. 

The service was a farewell and a revival meeting 
combined. Most of the farewells were said at the 
opening of the service and the two hours that fol- 
lowed were devoted to evangelistic appeals through 
song and sermon to dedication to Christ. 

Dr. Conrad, chairman of the general concimittee, 
spoke for ten minutes on the wonderful revival, and 
expressed the thanks of the committee to all who had 



218 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

contributed to make the revival successful. He said 
he regretted that there was not a bigger building in 
Boston so that the multitude who had been turned 
away might have gotten in. 

^'When Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander go from 
Boston," he continued, 'Hhey will be followed by a 
volimie of prayer, not only to Springfield, but across 
the oceans and continents in their tour of the world. 
We love them with a love born of the spirit of Jesus. 
There is melody in our hearts that Mr. Alexander has 
put there, and we shall not forget the picture we 
have seen of him leading the services of song. We 
shall live lives that are better, gentler, and more 
earnest because of the messages we have had from 
the lips of Dr. Chapman. Firmly and with tears he 
has declared to us the whole counsel of God." 

The speaker turned to the evangelist, and said: 
"You have planted the feet of thousands firmly on 
the Rock of Ages, and we will surely follow you with 
our prayers and love. 

"We shall not forget Mr. Naftzger, nor Mrs. Good- 
son. And once more, we shall never forget the 
rumble and the roll and the ripple and the reverbera- 
tions of thunder under the touch of Mr. Harkness' 
fingers at the piano. (Applause.) There is an 
instrument in our hearts and we trust that the spirit 
of God shall sweep upon all the harp strings of our 
souls." 

George E. Briggs, of the finance committee, made 
another announcement which created enthusiasm. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING ^10 

''Up to to-night/' he said, "we have received in offer- 
ings $1,900 for the expenses of this series of four 
days' meetings in this hall. We need $1,600 more. 
I ask you to give it to-night." It was stated that if 
the amount asked were given the entire expense of 
the series of simultaneous meetings would have been 
met. 

Dr. Chapman then took his turn at thanking 
people. He referred in terms of high praise to the 
choir, to the ushers and their chairman, George W. 
Mehaffey, the police officers, and the ministers, who, 
he said, "had the tide flowing strong when I came to 
the city, so that it has only been necessary for me 
to try to avoid mistakes," 

He then turned, saying to Dr. Conrad: "In all my 
years of evangelistic work I have never had so great 
a chairman." (Applause.) 

He said no man could be eloquent enough to frame 
a sufficient expression of gratitude to the newspapers. 

"Boston has been profoundly stirred," he con- 
tinued. " I take no credit to myself . The flood came 
because the ministers and all the forces of righteous- 
ness paved the way. A prominent man told me the 
other day that this revival would mean purer politics 
and better business and happier homes for this city. 
Now, when the call comes for you to pay the cost of 
making this a better city, whether the demand be 
for money, or influence, or time — do you pay it. 

"No other city in America has such a chance to 
become noble and lofty in all the best senses of the 



220 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

terms as Boston. Now if the chance comes for you 
to help, will you do it? Each in his own way to the 
limit of his abihty — will you? If you will, stand 
up." 

Nearly everybody stood upon his appeal, and they 
chorused, ^'I will." ^^Well, remember, you've got 
that settled," said the evangelist, and one of the 
chorus, who was crowded against the reporters' tables, 
called out ^^Amen." 

At the close of the sermon the Lotos quartet sang 
a hjmin and the evangelist invited the personal 
workers, ^'who have toiled tliese weeks and now 
would like to lay the results of their efforts all at the 
feet of the Master," to come forward. '^But remem- 
ber," he added, ^'if you come it means that by an 
act of your will, with emotion if God gives it to you, 
or without emotion, you are this night to dedicate 
yourself anew to God." 

Mrs. Goodson stood beside her father and sang 
^^ Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling" while the 
workers were coming down from the galleries and 
from all parts of the floor to the front. There were 
700 of them. Many ministers were in the number. 
They stretched far down the aisles from the open 
space at the front. Mr. Alexander spoke to them 
on the verse in Proverbs: ^'He that winneth souls is 
wise." 

When these workers had risen in their places it had 
been possible to see the difficulties imder which they 
had been doing their work in the great auditorium. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 221 

At Tremont Temple they were in a room which had 
been constructed with the aims of the church in view. 
But here the ^^ fishers of men" were anghng in seas 
where they had not stretched nets in advance and 
there were many meshes through which the fish 
might get away. In the Temple it was almost im- 
possible for a person to get out without being asked 
the definite question of his acceptance of the Re- 
deemer whom the evangelists had been preaching in 
sermon and song. But it was not so easy for the 
workers to get to the people in the big room in the 
Mechanics Building. The thing that astonished 
many was that the response to the appeals there 
made was so great. 

Dr. Chapman spoke the farewell word to these 
workers." ^^ There are enough Christian workers 
here to take all Boston for Christ. May God help you 
to do it. If any of you ever go back to ordinary 
Christian living, I believe you will have to answer for 
it at the judgment. Do nothing that will dim your 
vision of Jesus or that will lessen your zeal for God. 

"Go back to your churches and organize little 
groups for the help of your pastors and for prayer. 
And may the Lord bless and keep you." 

George T. B, Davis again presented the cause of the 
Pocket Testament League and the cards containing 
the statement of the tour around the world of Dr. 
Chapman and Mr. Alexander and a corps of workers 
were distributed to all who would take them with 
the promise that they would pray daily for the party 



222 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

in their revival work in Australia and in the far 
east. 

The sermon was upon the text, Luke xvii. 37: 
''Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." The evangelist 
used dramatic gesture more freely than at any of 
the preceding services. He told the story of Blind 
Bartimseus and found a series of parallels between the 
blind man and many in the congregation. 

''Not in a generation in a city of the size of Boston 
has Christ been more truly present than here," he 
said at one point. "I am sure of it. How you have 
sung those hymns. You can't persuade me that 
'He Will Hold Me Fast' has been popular just be- 
because it has a catchy tune. The newsies have 
whistled it. The business men have sung it. The 
children have hummed it. I have heard it from 
pianos as I have passed along your streets. 

"No man can tell me that any display of eloquence 
here this afternoon blanched the faces of 5,000 men 
and caused their cheeks to run with tears. Why, one 
man told me that I might have given the in\dtation 
without preaching at all. 

"And you to-night are hstening to preaching that 
is commonplace in expression, and there is a great 
hush upon you. A^Tiy? I'll tell you why. It is that 
Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. I hear Him knock- 
ing at the door of your hearts. I hear the sweep of 
His garments along these aisles. He is passing by." 

This was the prayer with which the evangelist 
ended the meeting: "Blessed God; we have wrought 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 223 

the best we knew how. Whatever it might have 
cost, even if it had been blood and Hfe, it would have 
been worth it all to be used of Thee. As we turn 
our faces elsewhere do thou bless Springfield. Keep 
us under the shadow of Thy wings as we go across 
the seas. May our message always be true to Him 
and to Thee. To Thy name be praise. Amen." 

Dr. Chapman then quietly withdrew and Mr. Alex- 
ander led the choir in a final song. ^'God Be With 
You Till We Meet Again," was sung. The thousands 
on the floor flocked to the front and there was a great 
burst of harmony as the choir put all their voices into 
^'My Anchor Holds." The last seen of Mr. Alexander 
on the platform, he held both hands high while the 
singers put all their power into the final note and sus- 
tained it for almost a full minute. Then the hymn- 
leader, with Mr. Harkness and Mr. Naftzger, passed 
through the crowd and the people stormed the trolley 
cars which were lined up for blocks in front of the 
building. The great series of meetings were over. 

Many of the evangelists and singers had left the 
city. Some went to fill revival engagements else- 
where. Others returned to their pastorates. Dr. 
Chapman, Mr„ Alexander, Dr. Ottman, Mr. Hark- 
ness and Mr. Naftzger, Mr. and Mrs. Norton, Mr. 
and Mrs. Asher, G. T. B. Davis and his mother, with 
Miss Agnes Chapman and Mrs. Alexander, after the 
campaign in Springfield, which had already begun, 
were to sail from Vancouver for their journey of 
Gospel service around the world. 




CHAIRMEN OF GROUPS 




CHAIRMEN OF GROUPS 



PART IV 

GROUPS, CHURCHES, PAS- 
TORS, EYAN^GELISTS, 
SIN^GERS, AND 
POST-WORD 



PART IV 

GROUPS, CHURCHES, PASTORS, EVAN- 
GELISTS, SINGERS, AND POST-WORD 

GROUP ONE — BOSTON CENTRAL. 

Evangelist — J. Wilbur Chapman, D.D. 
Singer — Charles M. Alexander. 

Evening Meetings in Tremont Temple. 

Park Street Church Rev. A. Z. Conrad 

Tremont Temple Mr. Chas. E. Jeffrey 

Bowdoin Square Church Rev. F. E. Heath 

Bromfield Street M. E Rev. G. F. Durgin 

Temple Street M. E Rev. F. B. Fisher 

Central Congregational Rev. J. H. Denisor 

First Baptist Rev. F. H. Rowley 

GROUP TWO — SOUTH END (WEST) 

Evangelist — Rev. Daniel S. Toy. 
Singer — Frank Dickson. 

Evening Meetings in Tremont Street M. E. Church. 

Shawmut Congregational Rev. A. A. Berle 

Union Congregational Rev. A. A. Stockdale 

Tremont Street M. E Rev. H. L. Wriston 

Warren Avenue Baptist Rev. H. S. Johnson 

First U. P. Church Rev. A. K. McLennan 

St. Andrew's Rev. A. D. MacKinnon 

GROUP THREE — SOUTH END (EAST) 

Evangelist — Rev. H. D. Sheldon. 
Singer — B. F. Butts. 

Evening Meetings in People's Temple. 

First Presbyterian Rev. James Alexander 

227 



228 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Scotch Presbyterian Rev. M. L. MacPhail 

People's Temple Rev. G. W. King 

Clarendon Street Baptist Rev. W. C. Minifie 

Morgan Memorial Rev. E. J. Helms 

Harvard Street Baptist Rev. J. H. Woodsum 

Reformed Presbyterian Rev. Samuel McNaugher 

GROUP FOUR — WEST MEDFORD 

Evangelist — W. F. Stewart. 
Singer — C. E. Goodwin. 

Evening Meetings in Baptist Church. 

Congregational Deacon H. N. Ackerman 

First Baptist Rev. Nathan Wood 

Methodist Episcopal Rev. Herbert S. Dow 

GROUP FIVE — ROXBURY (NORTH) 

Evangelist — Rev. Ford C. Ottman, D. D. 

Singer — William McEwan 
Evening Meetings in Dudley Street Baptist Church. 

Dudley Street Baptist Rev. W. W. Bustard 

Elliott Congregational Rev. W. C. Rhoades 

Highland Congregational Rev. W. R. Campbell 

Ruggles Street Baptist Rev. C. C. Earle 

Winthrop M. E Rev. W. A. Wood 

GROUP SIX — ROXBURY (SOUTH) 
Evangelist — Rev. J. Ernest Thacker, Ph.D. 
Singer — George A. Fisher. 

Evening Meetings in Immanuel Walnut Church. 

Presbyterian Rev. J. J. Dunlop 

Free Baptist Rev. J. S. Durkee 

Friends Rev. Wilbur K. Thomas 

Immanuel Walnut Rev, C. A. Vincent 

Bethany Baptist Rev. M. F. Johnson 

Church of Christ Rev. D. L. Martin 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 229 

Advent Christian Rev. M. Grant Nelson 

Swedish Congregational Rev, August Erickson 

GROUP SEVEN — JAMAICA PLAIN 

Evangelist — Rev. George R. Stair. 
Singer — Chester F. Harris. 

Evening Meetings in Boylston Congregational Church, Jan 26 
to Feb. 7, and in First Baptist Church, Feb. 8 to 17. 

Central Baptist Rev. J. A. Johnson 

Boylston Congregational Rev. H. A. Barker 

German Baptist Rev. R. T. Wegner 

First Baptist Rev. Walter Calley 

French Congregational Rev. Paul D. Elsesser 

GROUP EIGHT — UPHAM'S CORNER (DORCHESTER) 
Evangelist — Rev. Ralph Atkinson. 
Singer — F. M. Lamb. 

Evening Meetings in Stoughton Avenue Baptist Church, Baker 
Memorial, Pilgrim Congregational. 

Pilgrim Congregational Rev. George L. Cady 

Romsey Chapel Rev. F. L. Luce 

Baker Memorial M. E Rev. W. W. Bowers 

Stoughton Street Baptist Rev. Clifton D. Gray 

GROUP NINE — CODMAN SQUARE (DORCHESTER) 

Evangelist — Rev. Milton S. Rees. 
Singer — Lawrence Greenwood. 

Evening Meetings in Second Congregational Church. 

Second Congregational Rev. Arthur Little 

Stanton Avenue M. E Rev. L. A. Nies 

Highland M. E Rev. M. D. Lytle 

Harvard Congregational Rev. C. F. Weeden 

Temple Baptist Rev. Edward Braislin 

Berean Chapel, Baptist Rev. C. E. Lewis 

Village Church Rev. Geo. W. Brooks 

First M. E Rev. W. H. Powell 



230 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

GROUP TEN — FIELD'S CORNER (DORCHESTER) 

Evangelist — Rev. Harry Taylor. 
Singer — Albany R. Smith. 

Evening Meetings in Parkman Street M. E. Church. 

Immanuel Baptist Rev. W. W. Everts 

Central Congregational Rev. Geo. H. Flint 

First Baptist, Ashmont Rev. A. V. Dimock 

Trinity Congregational (Nep.) Rev. C. H. Washburn 

Parkman Street M. E Rev. J. P. Chadboume 

Appleton M. E. (Nep.) Rev. T. W. Bishop 

GROUP ELEVEN — QUINCY 

Evangelist — Rev. John Weaver Weddell. 
Singer — A. P. Briggs. 

Evening Meetings in Bethany Congregational Church. 

Bethany Congregational Rev. E. N. Hardy 

Quincy Point Congregational Rev. Alfred R. Atwood 

First U. P. Church Rev. A. M. Thompson 

Calvary Baptist Rev. R. J. Davis 

Wollaston Baptist Rev. Joseph Walther 

Wollaston Congregational Rev. E. A. Chase 

GROUP TWELVE — SOUTH BOSTON 

EvangeUst — Rev. C. T. Schaeffer. 
Singer — Mr. W. H. CoUisson. 

Evening Meetings in Baptist Church first week and the remain- 
ing period in St. John's M. E. Church. 

Phillips Congregational Rev. F. B. Richards 

First Baptist Rev. F. M. Gardner 

Presbyterian Rev. James Todd 

St. John's M. E Rev. E. L. Mills 

Barham Memorial Rev. G. E. Heath 

City Point M. E Rev. L. L. Hale 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 231 

GROUP THIRTEEN — EAST BOSTON 

Evangelist — Rev. Thomas Needham. 
Singer — John W. Rejmolds. 

Evening Meetings in Maverick Congregational Church. 

Presbyterian Rev. H. A. Manchester 

Baker Congregational Rev. A. B. Peebles 

Maverick Congregational f ^^^- ^- ^'- ^^^^^^^^^^ 

[Rev. A. R. Williams 

Orient Heights M. E Rev. J. F. Phillips 

Central Baptist Rev. C. J. Jones, Jr. 

Bethel M. E Rev. L. B. Bates 

Saratoga M. E Rev. S. H. Atkins 

St. John's P. E Rev. Chas. E. Jackson 

GROUP FOURTEEN — CHARLESTOWN 

Evangelist — Rev. J. O. Buswell. 
Singer — W. W. Weaver. 

Evening Meetings in Winthrop Street Congregational Church. 

Winthrop Street Church Rev. L. B. Sears 

Trinity M. E Rev. A. M. Osgood 

First Baptist Rev. C. E. Herrick 

Bunker Hill Baptist Rev. H. W. Chamberlain 

Episcopal Rev. Philo W. Sprague 

First Congregational Rev. J. M. Blue 

Universalist Rev. John Evans 

GROUP FIFTEEN — EVERETT 

Evangelist — Rev. Ora Samuel Gray. 
Singer — Charles F. Allen. 

Evening Meetings in First M. E. Church. 

First Congregational Rev. Wm. I. Sweet 

First M. E Rev. Geo. H. Spencer 

Glendale M. E Rev. F. M. Estes 

First Baptist Rev. A. Judson Hughes 

Glendale Baptist Rev. F. W. Peakes 



232 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Union Christian Rev. A. T. June 

Church of the Disciples 

Mystic Side Congregational Rev. H. J. Kilboume 

GROUP SIXTEEN— MALDEN 
Evangelist — Rev. Frank Granstaff. 
Singer — Owen F. Pugh. 
Evening Meetings in M. E. Church, Baptist and Congregational. 

Congregational Rev. H. H. French 

First Baptist Rev. G. H. Moss 

Forestdale Chapel 

Maplewood Congregational 

Maplewood Baptist Rev. E. E. Applegarth 

Center Street Baptist 

First M. E Rev. L. J. Bimey 

Faulkner M. E Rev. W. G. Chaffee 

Robinson M. E Rev. C. W. Blackett 

Maplewood M. E Rev. A. L. Howe 

Union Baptist Rev. S. M. Carrington 

GROUP SEVENTEEN— MELROSE 
Evangelist — Rev. Arthur J. Smith, D.D. 
Singer — A. B. Fenno. 
Evening Meetings in Melrose Baptist Church. 

Congregational Rev. Thomas Sims 

First M. E Rev. W. T. Perrin 

Melrose Baptist Rev. A. E. Scoville 

Fell's Baptist 

GROUP EIGHTEEN— MELROSE HIGHLANDS 
EvangeUst — Rev. Arthur W. Spooner, D.D. 
Singer — John P. Estey. 
Evening Meetings in Congregational Church. 

Melrose Highlands Baptist Rev. George B. Titus 

Melrose Highlands Congregational . . . Rev. J. O. Paisley 

Free Baptist Rev. W. J. Malvern 

Advent Church Deacon D. E. Woodward 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING • 233 

GROUP NINETEEN — STONEHAM 
Evangelist — Rev. Edgar E. Davidson. 
Singer — Charles A. Pearce. 

Evening Meetings in Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Baptist Rev. Frank Starratt 

M. E. Church Rev. N. B. Fisk 

Congregational Rev. A. Stanley Beale 

Evangelical Rev. George Davies 

GROUP TWENTY — BROOKLINE 
Evangelist — Rev. Frederick E. Taylor, D.D. 
Singer — Harper G. Smyth. 

Evening Meetings in Baptist Church. 

Baptist Rev. O. P. Gifford 

St. Mark's M. E Rev. L. D. Bugbee 

Presbyterian Rev. W. W. Illiffe 

GROUP TWENTY-ONE — ALLSTON-BRIGHTON 
Evangelist — Rev. John H. Elliott, D.D. 
Singer — Everett Naf tzger. 

Evening Meetings in AUston Congregational Church. 

Allston Congregational Rev. John O. Haarvig 

Faneuil Congregational Rev. A. H. Mulnix 

Congregational Church, Br Rev. W. A. Knight 

Hill Memorial Baptist Rev. W. J. Rutledge 

Harvard Avenue M. E Rev. F. G. Potter 

GROUP TWENTY-TWO— WATERTOWN 

Evangelist — S. M. Sa3rford. 
Singer — Lewis E. Smith. 

Evening Meetings in First Baptist Church. 

First Baptist Rev. Charles H. Day 

St. John's M. E Rev. C. W. Holden 

Phillips Congregational Rev. Edward C. Camp 

Mt. Auburn Mission Chapel Rev. John S. Pendleton 

Belmont Congregational Rev. B. F. Leavitt 



234 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

GROUP TWENTY-THREE — NEWTON CENTER 
Evangelist — Rev. John A. Earl, DD. 
Singer — Clifton Powers. 

Evening Meetings in Methodist Episcopal Church. 

First Congregational Rev. E. M. Noyes 

Newton Center Baptist Rev. Maurice A. Levy 

Newton Center M. E Rev. G, A. Phinney 

Aubumdale Congregational Rev. W. C. Gordon 

Upper Falls Rev. Walter Healy 

Aubumdale M. E Rev. C. E. Spaulding 

GROUP TWENTY-FOUR — CAMBRIDGE 
Evangelist — Rev. H. W. Stough. 
Singer — D. L. Spooner. 

Evening Meetings in First Baptist Church. 

First Baptist Rev. J. L. Campbell 

Immanuel Baptist Rev. A. H. Gordon 

Broadway Baptist Rev. O. H. Wallace 

Grace M. E Rev. L. W. Staples 

Harvard Street M. E Rev. R. F. Holway 

Wood Memorial Congregational Rev. E. E. Shoemaker 

Pilgrim Congregational Rev. Richard Wright 

Prospect Street Congregational Rev. W. M. MacNair 

Free Baptist 

United Presbyterian Rev. E. C. Simpson 

First Reformed Presbyterian 

Swedish Baptist Rev. A. T. Johnson 

Union Baptist Rev. Jesse Harrall 

GROUP TWENTY-FIVE — SOMERVILLE (WINTER HILL) 
Evangelist — Rev. H. N. Fanlconer. 
Singer — J. Raymond Hemminger. 

Evening Meetings at Broadway Congregational Church. 

Wmter Hill Baptist Rev. H. S. Pinkham 

Broadway Congregational Robert H. Beers 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 235 

Highland Congregational Rev. George S. Anderson 

Broadway M. E Rev. S. L. Jennings 

Perkins Street Baptist S. H. Hosmer, Trustee 

Winter Hill Congregational Rev. Chas. L. Noyes 

GROUP TWENTY-SIX — NORTH CAMBRIDGE 
Evangelists — Rev. Donald Duncan Monroe. 
Singer — Howard H. Hare. 

Meetings were held in the North Avenue Baptist Church. 

North Avenue Baptist Rev. F. E. Marble. 

North Avenue Congregational Rev. Daniel Evans 

Third Universalist Rev. F. W. Hamilton 

St. James Episcopal Rev. Wm. E. Gardner 

GROUP TWENTY-SEVEN — OLD CAMBRIDGE 
Evangelist — Rev. O. Griffith. 
Singer — Grace Bradbury. 

Meetings were held in the Old Cambridge Baptist Church. 

First Cong. Shephard Mem Rev. Alexander MacKenzie 

Old Cambridge Baptist Rev. Woodman Bradbury 

Epworth M. E Rev. Norman E. Richardson 



SOUTH BOSTON GROUP 

By Frederick S. Richards 

This group included six co-operating churches — 
South Baptist, St. John's M. E., PhilUps Congrega- 
tional, First Presbyterian, Barham Memorial M. E., 
and City Point M. E. For over a month our churches 
were preparing for this movement, and every effort 
was made to arouse interest and awaken anticipation. 
For three weeks preceding the series the regular 
prayer services in each church were emerged in union 
prayer meetings, two such being held on each Wednes- 



236 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

day night, and three on each Friday night, in different 
parts of the district. An efficient executive com- 
mittee was early at work, and personal workers, 
ushers, and choir were fully organized and prepared 
for their duties. The result was that the meetings 
commenced with full attendance and strong interest 
the very first night, and this was continued through- 
out. The pastor and churches worked together with 
entire and delightful harmony and oneness of pur- 
pose. Our evangelist, C. T. Schaeffer, proved him- 
self a man of unbounded energy, tireless activity, 
and devotion to his work. His message was prac- 
tical and pungent; his invitations urgent and effec- 
tive; his exaltation of the church in the community 
constant and helpful; his advice for permanent re- 
sults wise and valuable. The co-operating singer, 
Mr. W. H. Colhsson, sang the Gospel with sweetness 
and persuasive power, and conducted an excellent 
chorus with skill and fine results. Om* attendance 
averaged from 800 to 1,000 each evening, and was 
fully maintained throughout the series, services 
Sunday nights gathering from 1,400 to 1,700, neces- 
sitating overflows. Afternoon meetings for children 
were largely attended, and were of great value, Mr. 
Schaeffer 's illustrated talks being very attractive 
and instructive. Sunday afternoon meetings for 
men were of increasing influence and power, begin- 
ning with about 450 in attendance, and closing the 
last Sunday with about 900 attending. Indeed, 
throughout these meetings a gratifying number of 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 237 

men, younger and older, were reached and won. 
Excellent results were already apparent. Several 
hundred cards were signed, and most of these, when 
followed up, show sincerity of purpose. All the 
churches are receiving, and will receive, substantial 
additions to membership on confession, and a good 
number of church letters are being brought by those 
who were roused to local responsibilities. All our 
churches report marked increase in attendance at 
regular services, much deeper interest in Bible study 
and in the prayer service, and delightful evidence of 
a ^^new zeal for service," which can but result in a 
larger efficiency of our churches in the community. 

Concerning the influence of the campaign as a whole 
on the city's religious life, it has been marked for 
good. Christian living has been raised to a decidedly 
higher place in the purpose of thousands; many ordi- 
narily inaccessible to religious conversation now wel- 
come it, and themselves introduce it; the atmosphere 
of men's daily living has been charged with a spir- 
itual ozone, which means new spiritual power, new 
faith and courage, new civic ideals and efficiency. 
There is general rejoicing over the simultaneous cam- 
paign, its experiences and its results. 



EAST BOSTON 

By Rev. Herbert A. Manchester, D.D. 

Eight churches, none of them large, co-operated 
for the evangelistic work in the East Boston district. 



238 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

It is commonly estimated that 25,000 Protestants 
live in this district and that more than 15,000 of 
them never or seldom attend chm"ch. In many ways 
it is one of the greatest and neediest mission fields in 
New England. More help from outside should have 
been given to this and similar districts; for the genius 
of this movement is in the working of so many dis- 
tricts at once, and in these districts perhaps the most 
immediately effective and permanent, as well as the 
neediest work, is done, and the opportunity should 
have been used to press this aspect of it to the utmost 
advantage in these neglected corners. But using 
only local resources a great good was done. 

The union of the churches was complete and har- 
monious, though not secured at an early date. The 
attendance at the meetings was extraordinary, far 
exceeding anything ever known here; the meetings 
were conducted very quietly, nothing could be called 
excitement, but the feeling was deep; the response 
was large, and a most genuine and powerful work was 
done. The contributions were much larger than was 
believed possible at first ; all the local bills were easily 
paid and volunteers, more than could be used, were 
ready to help on the special days, such as Flower 
Day, and the others. The Holy Spirit was manifestly 
present. The evangelist and the singer proved wholly 
acceptable to the people. The last meeting was a 
triumph of Christian harmony in united effort when 
hearty tributes were paid to those who had rendered 
unstinted services, and when a gold-headed cane was 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 239 

presented to Mr. Needham from the local pastors, 
besides a generous free-will offering, and a purse of 
gold was given to Mr. Reynolds by the choir, together 
with suitable testimonials of the esteem in which 
they both were held for their work's sake. 

The Salvation Army co-operated heartily on sev- 
eral occasions and especially in two street parades, 
which brought many into the services. The charac- 
ter of the work is such that it is likely to be more 
permanent than such efforts sometimes are. Too 
much praise cannot be given to Mr. Needham and 
Mr. Reynolds for the tact and ability with which 
they conducted all the services. 

My own conclusion is that, while there was wise 
planning, a noble harmony, and diligent work, yet the 
whole so far exceeded all that could possibly be at- 
tributed to man's effort, it must be accounted a most 
signal instance of the moving of the Holy Spirit, 
such as recent times have seldom, I think never, 
seen. What has been done to this present time is 
worth while, but the fervor and momentum have 
been turned unabated into the activities of the church, 
and what it will yet accomplish no one can even 
estimate. 

ROXBURY NORTH GROUP 

By Rev. Wm. W. Bustard 

The work done at the Roxbury Northern Group 
during the Chapman-Alexander meetings was excel- 
lent. This is the tenth year I have conducted evan- 



240 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

gelistic services in my church, but these services 
were never so largely attended before, neither have 
they ever yielded better results. A large number 
has already been taken into church membership, and 
I expect that the results of this work will continually 
be felt for years to come. 

The chief results of the movement have been the 
awakening of Christian people to their church priv- 
ileges, stimulating them to do personal work for the 
salvation of the lost; also a wide-spread interest in 
Bible study, a deeper regard for the old truths, and a 
firmer grasp upon the atoning work of Jesus Christ. 
We have felt the power of prayer, and realize God's 
willingness to answer our petitions, while hundreds 
of unconverted men, women, and children have 
been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ. 

Having seen the churches filled and Christians 
revived and hundreds of unconverted brought to 
Christ, we are going forward in the work with a feel- 
ing of \dctory in our hearts, believing that these 
meetings will do much to establish the kingdom of 
God in Boston, and make Jesus Christ king in the 
realms of our political, social, and home life. 

I have no doubt at all but what these meetings 
will do much to make Boston a better and more 
godly city for years to come. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 241 

ROXBURY SOUTHERN GROUP 
By Rev. James J. Dunlop, D.D. 

The meetings in this group under the leadership of 
Rev. J. Ernest Thacker, Ph.D., of Norfolk, Va., and 
Mr. George A. Fisher, Grand Rapids, Mich., have 
produced marked results which promise to be far- 
reaching. Seven churches were included in this 
group, representing seven different denominations, 
viz.: Advent Christian, Baptist, Congregational, 
Disciples of Christ, Free Baptist, Friends, and Pres- 
byterian. The absolute unanimity which charac- 
terized our work demonstrated in an impressive way 
the real unity of evangelical churches ; that the things 
which divide us are diminishing shadows. 

A most gratifying result is the thorough reawak- 
ening of Christian interest and activity; largely in- 
creased attendance at church services; a manifestly 
deepened interest in these services; a more direct 
evangelistic tone in the preaching, and a fresh and 
wider impetus given to personal work by the mem- 
bers of our churches, are some of the results that 
have followed our group meetings. This is an im- 
measurable gain. 

Many who had formerly been identified with the 
church elsewhere, perhaps active in Christian work, 
and who, through removal, lost interest and drifted, 
have been reclaimed. Hundreds have been led to 
Christ for salvation and a life of service. These came 
from all walks of life. Illustrative instances might 



242 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

be given did not the restrictions of this summary 
forbid. Many others were set to thinking, and are 
now being brought to Christ as the indirect results 
of om^ meetings. 

Dr. Thacker's preaching was an earnest, eloquent 
presentation of the fundamental truths of the Gos- 
pel. The response which it met has sho^n that, 
when aroused, men feel a real hunger for the Gospel 
of Chiist. The great chorus under the efficient leader- 
ship of ^Ir. Fisher was a noteworthy feature of our 
meetings and led us to a new \dsion of the effective- 
ness of Gospel song in touching the hearts of men 
and preparing the way for the appeal of the preacher. 

Regarding the general movement I must say this: 
I rejoice greatly over it. Boston has been really 
awakened. I should hke to underscore heavily the 
word '' really." An increased respect for organized 
Christianity has been gained. A new consciousness 
of the strength of the united forces of the chiu-ches 
in the community has been awakened, evangehsm 
has been dignified, and the special evangelistic effort 
justified as a factor in the development of the 
church, and in the solution of the problem of the 
city. The Gospel of Christ has been, in a notable 
way, proved to be the very ^' power of God unto sal- 
vation." Praise the Lord. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 243 

UPHAM'S CORNER GROUP 
By Rev. Dr. George L. Cady 

At Upham's Corner there is one of the most ancient 
burial grounds in New England, but the churches 
are now all on the outside of the dead line. There 
has come to us such a quickening as has not been 
for years and which will last for many years to come. 

First — It was almost impossible to get the churches 
here united on the Chapman meetings, but now all are 
enthusiastic, and the pastors and people are more 
one than ever before. Union effort in the future will 
be an easy task to accompHsh so did the work uplift 
the spirit of Christian unity and so did the evangel- 
ists magnify the work of both church and pastor. We 
did not hear one word of caustic criticism of either 
clergy or church from our evangelists, Atkinson and 
Lamb, but everything was sweet and wholesome. 

Second — The numerical results are not all in — 
we hope will not be in when this book is out of print 
— but the immediate result is that the four churches 
in this group will receive at their first communions 
over one hundred on confession of faith, with as 
many more who will come in soon, besides a large 
number of letters which have been brought forth. 

Third — There has come a spiritual uplift and a 
new vision to the churches which cannot be meas- 
ured. Perhaps the greatest result of the campaign 
in the whole city has been that we do not need to 
apologize or defend Christianity any more — the 



244 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

great apologetic has arrived. The time has come, 
here in Boston, at least, when the power of evangel- 
ical Christianity to work its results of transforming 
Hves and moving the community must be demon- 
strated, for creeping paralysis was here. It is doubt- 
ful if both ministry and people ever have needed 
more the positive assurance that Christ is the same 
yesterday, to-day, and forever than during the recent 
years. If it had been true that Boston '^cannot be 
moved," then Christianity is a failure, for no place 
must be outside of the moving power of the Holy 
Spirit — if there is a Holy Spirit. That demonstra- 
tion is here and in such power that the churches can- 
not soon forget it. We are following a li^dng Christ. 
We have at hand the ever-lining, energizing spirit of 
God. Nothing is impossible for us. To have that 
proved is worth everj^thing as an asset for to-morrow. 



CODMAN GROUP 
By Rev. Arthur S. Little, D.D. 

Nine churches united to form Codman group. Rev. 
Milton S. Rees, D.D., was the preacher and Mr. L. 
B. Greenwood musical director. Careful preparation 
was made for the active campaign by union meetings 
of the pastors and churches, some weeks before it 
began. From beginning to end, the utmost harmony 
prevailed between the co-operating ministers and 
churches. The closer fellowship and better acquaint- 
ance thus secured will be of great value to Dor- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 245 

Chester in the future. Some of the obvious and 
immediate results of the campaign are these: The 
spiritual life of the churches has been quickened; it 
has been a genuine revival; new voices have been 
heard in testimony and prayer; the attendance has 
been more than doubled ; the circle of willing workers 
has been greatly enlarged; the dynamics of prayer 
have been felt as never before; faith in the power of 
prayer has been immensely increased; more than 
one hundred prayer groups, pledged to daily prayer 
for specific objects, were formed early in the cam- 
paign — many still continue; the great, eternal, 
axiomatic verities of the Gospel have been freshened 
in our thought and presented so as to command the 
attention of thousands who have heard them; the 
Bible has been exalted as the final authority in mat- 
ters of faith and doctrine. Other worldliness has been 
a powerful motive in the preaching. Our largest house 
of worship was crowded at almost every service, after- 
noon and evening. The children's meetings were 
thronged. Between eight and nine hundred cards 
were signed. Many adults were reached. There 
were some striking instances of conversion. Crowded 
evening services on two Sunday evenings after the 
close of the campaign. The interest still continues. 
A spiritual impulse has been received, an atmosphere 
created whose hallowing and inspiring influences in 
the churches and in the community will long abide. 
The value of the campaign to Dorchester can never 
be estimated. It does not admit of tabulation. 



246 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

BROOKLINE GROUP 
By Rev. 0. P. Gifford, D.D. 

The Brookline group included the St. Mark's M. E., 
the First Presbyterian, and the Brookhne Baptist 
churches. Meetings were held in the Baptist meeting 
house. The singing, conducted by Harper Smyth, 
was spiritually stimulating and created a good 
atmosphere. The sermons by Dr. Fred Taylor 
w^ere Scriptural, clearly thought out, warm with 
feeling, charged with spiritual power. 

There were 377 cards signed. Preferences: 134 
Presbyterian, 98 Baptist, 79 Methodist. Other 
churches, or no choice, 66. Of these 121 cards were 
signed Decision Day in the Bible schools. 

The effect of the meetings on the churches is excel- 
lent. ''The workers together with God" are in per- 
fect sympathy ^dth each other. State lines are 
fainter, the federal idea is strengthened. Thinking 
differs, but feeling is much the same in all bodies of 
Christ. The south wind has been sweeping over the 
whole field, the frost is out of the ground, the buds are 
bursting, seeds long asleep are waking up, ''the time 
of the singing of birds has come." "The King's Busi- 
ness" has brought a great blessing to Brookline. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 247 

JAMAICA PLAIN GROUP 

By Rev. J. A. Johnston 

It is not easy to describe and estimate the religious 
and moral influence of the campaign in Jamaica Plain 
for the simple reason of its great, and rich, and per- 
suasive character. The atmosphere of the whole 
community was charged and electrified with a subtle 
sense of the unseen and the spiritual during the 
meetings. God was nigh, and the effect was corre- 
spondingly marvelous. The coming of the evangelist 
was soon noised abroad, and the preaching and sing- 
ing was in everybody's mouth. In such a temper the 
message reached places and hearts ordinarily inac- 
cessible. The churches easily had the right of way. 
The response was not only general but hearty. 
People could not have been more willing to help in 
every kind of service asked of them. To one ac- 
quainted with the stand-pat order, it was as if old 
things had passed away and all things had become 
suddenly new. Since the campaign closed, the 
attendance on the regular services of the churches, 
so far as I have heard, has considerably increased. 
Prayer meetings show new life and joy. The pulse 
beats faster and the step is more elastic and joyous. 
From the more than three hundred who signed cards, 
considerable numbers are beginning to come into the 
churches. The Sunday-schools are increasing, and 
fresh decisions are made to follow the Savior. Chris- 
tians know and love each other better. The gain for 



248 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

true fellowship and enthusiastic co-operation has 
been a marked feati.u*e of the meetings. Churches 
are interested in each other, and will pray more in- 
telligently and fervently for each other. I am sure 
they stand higher in the esteem of the community 
than in the past. A new sense, in the experience of 
helping men into the knowledge of personal salvation, 
has been added to the life of the workers. My own 
spirit has been most deeply stirred and refreshed, 
and a new note of reality added to the love of God in 
my heart. And I verily believe what has been my 
own experience is common to the other pastors who 
have joined in the movement. If one should think 
this review of the revival too sanguine and rose-col- 
ored, it may be set down to the estimate of a mind 
refilled with light from Jesus' face; notwithstanding, 
the conviction remains, the half has not been told. 



ALLSTON-BRIGHTON 

By Rev. J. 0. Haarvig 

The meetings held in this district will long be 
remembered by the many who came under their 
power. The attendance was large at all the services, 
and showed increase from week to week. At times 
the commodious Sunday-school room, connecting 
with the main auditorium, was filled so that the 
entire seating capacity of the church was taxed to its 
utmost. Earnest but timid souls had that it would 
be difficult for an evangelist to make an impression 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 249 

on a comfortable suburban community like ours, but 
the impression was made, and it proved deep and 
wide. To-day only one feeling pulses through the 
churches — that of gratitude for what we have heard 
and seen. The results have surpassed the expecta- 
tions of the most hopeful. The Gospel of Christ is a 
message of joy and power to ^'everyone that belie v- 
eth" has been amply vindicated. We have seen 
many from the various walks and callings of society 
accept the privileges and obligations of the Christian 
life. They have come from the ranks of physicians, 
teachers, raihoad employees, newspaper men, clerks, 
mechanics, and university students; from the homes 
of affluence as well as from the homes of poverty. 
Abundant have been the triumphs of grace. Shackles 
of sin have been broken; mists of skepticism have 
been dispelled ; a higher purpose has given new beauty 
to the lives of professed disciples; the devotional life 
in homes and churches has been quickened; and an 
atmosphere has been created that will make per- 
sonal evangelism a congenial task for Christian 
people in many days to come. 

Surveying this remarkable movement in Greater 
Boston, who can doubt that back of it all has been 
the power of the Lord of Hosts? 



250 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

THE NEWTON CENTER GROUP 
By Rev. Maurice A. Levy 

The campaign in Newton Center was preceded by 
union meetings, some for men and some for women, 
in w^hich there appeared a spirit of eager expectation. 
Om- helpers were the Rev. John A. Earl, D.D., of 
Chicago, who approved himself as a faithful and 
fearless preacher of the Gospel, and Mr. Clifton 
Powers, of Pittsfield, Mass., who, in addition to his 
solo work, made good use of local singers in solos, 
quartets, choruses, and especially in training the 
boys and girls for their own and other ser^dces. 

The meetings, held in the Methodist church, began 
with good congregations which continued throughout. 
The afternoon services for prayer and exposition of 
the Scriptures were seasons not to be forgotten. 
Meetings for boys and girls were held on Friday after- 
noons, at which speaker and singer were at their best, 
while the yoimg people responded mth enthusiasm. 
The closing service was one of power, the attendance 
out-crowding the auditorium, and the spirit being 
such as to make a fitting climax to the entire series. 

The results, numerically, are doubtless smaller 
than in many other centers. Possibly that was to 
be expected in this most typical of suburban com- 
munities. There was hardly a service, however, in 
which some did not respond to the invitation, and 
the interest shown by the boys and girls promises 
future fruition. Moreover, the churches have been 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 251 

drawn and bound together as never before, and ^pn 
Sunday evenings the union services have been con- 
tinued, the pastors, in turn, preaching. This will 
continue through the Lenten season. The union 
prayer meetings, one for boys and one for girls, are 
also being continued. The spirit of the movement 
persists in the preaching services and the mid-week 
meetings, and the end is not yet. Some have been 
saved, many have been reclaimed, more have been 
impressed, the churches have been aroused, and the 
effects will be wholesome and inspiring for years to 
come. I am glad to have co-operated in this cam- 
paign. 

THE QUINCY EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN 
By Rev. Edwin N. Hardy, Ph.D. 

Pastorless churches, geographical difficulties, the 
financial stringency, and other inauspicious conditions 
delayed and somewhat hampered the evangelistic 
campaign in Quincy. Mindful of the local problem, 
the leaders in the movement were early convinced 
that it was best to enlist all the evangelical churches 
of the city, though many could give only sympathetic 
support to the movement. 

Rev. John Weaver Weddell, of the Lake wood Bap- 
tist church, Cleveland, Ohio, was the pastor evan- 
gelist. A man of winsome personality, experienced 
in pastoral and evangelistic effort, a fluent, forceful, 
and pleasing speaker, tolerant, though a conserva- 
tive thinker, and a preacher of the simple Gospel, 



252 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

without sensational or eccentric features. Mr. A. P. 
Briggs, of Cambridge, Mass., the musical director, 
was most satisfactory, winning a host of friends by 
his musical ability and his genial, genuine, and gra- 
cious Christian life. 

The meetings were splendidly attended, probably 
more largely so than any other religious services ever 
held in the city. The pastors engaging in the cam- 
paign gave it a most loyal support and worked 
together in perfect and delightful harmony. The 
solidarity of the Quincy churches has been definitely 
strengthened and this will mean much in the future 
for the enrichment of the spiritual life. The demon- 
stration of interdenominational unity, enthusiasm, 
and efficiency marks a positive advance in local 
Christian progress. The pronounced and repeated 
emphasis of the evangelistic note has exerted a wide- 
spread and wholesome influence in arousing the 
religiously indifferent, both within and outside of 
the church, and has registered itself in a permanent 
organization of pastors and laymen to definitely 
perpetuate evangelism in the city. There has been 
a general toning up of the spiritual life, a definite 
consecration of many, and the initial self-dedication 
of some to the higher life. About one hundred and 
twenty signed cards, one-half being children; there 
were many backsliders reclaimed, many neglected 
church letters were discovered, not a few unattached 
professors of the Christian faith will now unite with 
the church, and many Christians are now trained 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 253 

for personal work. On the whole, the meetings have 
been a blessing to the community, to the united 
churches, and especially profitable and suggestive 
to the pastors. 

To my mind the greatest assets of the whole Chap- 
man campaign have been: (1) the heartening of the pas- 
tors, who will henceforth do more evangelistic work 
themselves. (2) The revelation to the churches of 
the great need of evangelism and the comparative ease 
with which it might be enforced. (3) The creation of a 
public sentiment favorable to spiritual things. (4) The 
interdenominational solidarity of the churches, the 
prophecy of the coming unity and efficiency. (5) The 
publicity of the movement by the newspapers with 
the discovery that the public wants religious news. 

(6) The tremendous effectiveness of personal work. 

(7) The recognition of the place and the power of 
sacred song. (8) The deepening interest in and re- 
spect for the Word of God. (9) The exaltation of the 
person, message, and mission of Christ. 



MELROSE 

By Rev. Thomas Sims, D.D. 

The Simultaneous Campaign has brought to Mel- 
rose unmixed good. There was already a large meas- 
ure of cordiality in the relations subsisting between 
the three central evangelical churches, and when 
the call came to co-operate in the Chapman meetings 
it was easy to get together. The officials and lay 



254 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

workers of these churches were practically a unit in 
their glad response and from first to last labored un- 
sparingly, in concert with their pastors, to make the 
campaign a worthy expression of evangelistic conse- 
cration. Strong committees were formed and their 
work carefully planned, cottage prayer meetings were 
held (fifteen of them on one evening), united services 
in the churches supplemented these neighborhood 
gatherings, and when the evangelist appeared upon 
the scene there was unusual readiness and deep ex- 
pectancy. 

The evangelist appointed to us was Rev. Arthur J. 
Smith, D.D., who brought with him, as soloist and 
choir director, Mr. Albert F. Fenno. The service 
rendered by both these gentlemen was acceptable 
and effective. Dr. Smith brought to bear fine capac- 
ity for leadership, gracious effectiveness in evangeli- 
cal exposition, and tremendous force in evangehstic 
appeal. The appreciation of the people began quickly 
to appear in growing congregations, attaining, at 
length, extraordinary dimensions. Very soon in- 
quirers began to appear, and shortly the inquiry 
room filled up with seekers and continued to be 
thronged, night after night, the joy of salvation 
flashing out ever and anon on new faces. 

It is too early to estimate the gains of the churches 
from the revival. The Methodist church received 70 
last Sunday, the Congregational church 60, and the 
Baptists have 40 in sight. New lists are already be- 
ginning to be prepared for the next communion. But 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 255 

the quickening of the membership of the churches is 
quite as notable as the accession to their numbers. 
Prayer meetings have become a dehght, preaching is 
a new experience, and decisions for Christ are being 
registered at the regular services. 

Scenes were enacted during the progress of the 
meetings that will long hnger in the memory. Indi- 
vidual experiences of a striking character might also 
be recited. Suffice it that ^^The Lord has visited and 
redeemed His people/' converts are making clear and 
satisfactory confessions, and the right hand of fellow- 
ship is being extended with great gladness and with 
complete confidence. 

MELROSE HIGHLANDS 
By Rev. George B. Titus 

The churches composing this group were the Mel- 
rose Highlands Congregational, Baptist, Adventist, 
and Free Will Baptist. Rev. A. W. Spooner, D.D., 
of Washington, was the evangelist, and Mr. John P. 
Estey, of Brockton, was the singer. The meetings 
were very largely attended from the first, following, 
as they did, union meetings that began with the week 
of prayer. The men's meeting held on Sunday after- 
noon, February 7, was the largest of the kind ever 
held in the Highlands. The impression of the meet- 
ings upon the community was very marked and the 
results must be most happily realized in many homes 
of this beautiful locality for years to come. The 
attendance of young people and children was very 



256 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

gratifying, and many of these professed conversion 
and will be gathered into the churches. Between 
three and foiir hundred cards were signed expressive 
of desires to renew, or to begin, the life of trust in 
Christ. Besides the work among the unconverted, 
so richly blessed, there has developed a lovely Chris- 
tian fellowship in the community, a sympathetic 
union of churches and believers iii the work of the 
Master for the benefit of the people and of bringing 
them to know the Lord. This feature alone repays 
for all the efforts put forth. 

Churches and members love one another and pray 
for each other's welfare. A noticeable feature of the 
campaign was the profound interest taken in the 
Boston meetings led by Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alex- 
ander, many of which were attended by the High- 
landers at such times as did not conflict with home 
work, while loyalty to local calls held the people 
throughout the series. 

The practical manifestations of love sent out on 
Flower Day and the Day of Rejoicing will never be 
forgotten. These days should become annuals. 

Take it all in all, it was a great and blessed cam- 
paign for this community, as well as for a large part 
of New England. Only second to the meetings 
themselves were the splendid reports that were 
given by the Boston papers and that we read so 
eagerly in our homes. 

The profound interest created by the magnificent 
leadership of Dr. Chapman and his co-worker, Mr. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 257 

Alexander, could only be accounted for on the ground 
that their consecration and devotion were such as 
withheld not one iota of their splendid ability. 



STONEHAM GROUP 
By Rev. Fkank A. Starratt 

Four churches in Stoneham united in evangelistic 
working, forming Group 19 of the Chapman-Alexan- 
der Campaign. Evangelist E. E. Davidson was ap- 
pointed by Dr. Chapman to lead us in the work, with 
Charles Pearce as singer and leader of the chorus. 

Stoneham being somewhat removed from the center 
of operations in Boston, did not benefit so much from 
the general movement as other groups nearer to the 
center of activity, and yet we did feel to some ex- 
tent the influences radiating from the movement as 
a whole. 

The methods adopted in the local campaign were 
not new nor startling. The Gospel was preached with 
fidelity to its fundamental truth, with deep sincerity 
and with the utmost sanity. The singing was with- 
out affectation and with evident appreciation of the 
great truths embodied in the songs. Dependence 
was upon God, and prayer was made for the mani- 
festation of His power. 

The services were fairly well attended, but there 
were no great crowds. The people in attendance were, 
with few exceptions, those who were in some way 
related to the religious life of the community and the 



258 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

converts came almost wholly from these. But while 
the interest did not become so intense as to draw into 
the meetings those who were wholly outside church 
influences, the whole community did feel the influ- 
ence of the meetings. People knew what was going 
on and were made to recognize the power of the re- 
ligious life, and to accord it more respect than they 
had been accustomed to do. This aspect of the 
work has become more apparent since the meetings 
closed. All sorts of people are more approachable 
on the subject of religion than ever before and the 
influence of the churches is correspondingly increased. 
The results of the movement are proving most 
gratifying. A good number made profession of 
faith in Christ and are now giving evidence of the 
genuineness of their conversion by their willingness 
to unite with the church and enter active Christian 
service. 

WEST MEDFORD 

By Rev. Nathan R. Wood 

In this community, long considered unresponsive 
to Gospel appeal, and with the meetings organized 
amid some opposition, and with moderate resources, 
the revival of 1909 has taken deep hold. At the time 
of the meetings the local work, where the Gospel was 
preached with eloquence and effectiveness, and sup- 
ported by much prayer and personal work on the part 
of the people, was the center of our hopes. As the 
work has gone on, we are seeing more and more the 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 259 

influence of the central meetings in Boston and of the 
pubUshed reports of them. The simple, direct, pow- 
erful Gospel preached there, and the results of it, 
have changed the attitude of the community toward 
the Gospel and brought in a new conception of re- 
ligion among people outside the churches, and have 
left everywhere among us those who are impressed 
of their need of Christ. Above all, we are realizing 
that this work is not of men, but of God. We have 
had remarkable answers to prayer. We have had 
surprising conversions, especially of men. And the 
revival is not decreasing, but increasing. Congrega- 
tions in individual churches are equaling the union 
meetings in attendance. The prayer meetings in 
several churches are steadily growing in power and 
numbers. Conversions are multiplying. The churches 
are awakened. We see in this the wisdom with which 
the work was planned by the leaders of the general 
movement. We see yet more the hand of God, and 
the personal and increasing triumph of Jesus Christ. 



WINTER HILL GROUP 
By Rev. Hermon S. Pinkham 
The Winter Hill section has had the greatest 
religious awakening in its history. Not for twenty- 
five years, and probably never, have the churches 
on this beautiful hill united in an evangelistic cam- 
paign. It was, therefore, with some misgivings, 
and even objections, that the movement was entered 



260 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

into. But all objections and misgivings have been 
swept away. The churches are bound together 
with bonds of love. Indeed, so dehghtful has been 
the union that many are asking for frequent services 
of the kind in the future. If nothing more had been 
accompHshed the pastors would have been satisfied. 
But even the most sanguine hopes were exceeded. 
The audiences averaged a thousand at every service. 
On the two Sunday evenings, by actual count, there 
were present 1,600 and 1,700 people, and scores were 
turned away. Even the oldest residents upon the hill 
have never seen such audiences. And the results were 
splendid. They are fourfold: (1) The church mem- 
bership has been roused as never before. Men with 
gray hair, w^ho have never done any personal work for 
Christ, tried to do it, and such was the evangelistic 
atmosphere that their efforts were successful. Once 
having had a taste of the blessedness of such work, 
they will surely continue it. This means much for 
the future. (2) The attendance upon the church 
services has increased. Every pastor says: ''Never 
had such large and spiritual prayer meetings." The 
people seem to have acquired a habit of church going. 
May they never break it. (3) The harvest is large. 
One pastor on the hill says: ''Forty have already 
come before the church." Another says nearly the 
same mmiber. And so it goes. Hundreds will un- 
doubtedly be received into chmxh membership, and 
among them are many heads of families — men over 
sixty years. Truly the harvest is great. (4) The 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 261 

evangelistic spirit and interest still continues. It 
never was so easy to lead men to Christ. Why, last 
Sunday night, in my own church, I said: '^If there 
is any one who would like to accept Christ, let him 
come forward and take my hand." Five adults came. 
The other churches report the same. The great work 
has only begun. Winter Hill praises God. 

The two men sent us were just the ones needed. 
Mr. Hemminger is a master in leading a congregation 
in singing. He won every heart, and made every one 
sing. Dr. Faulconer, our evangelist, by his sane, force- 
ful, and sweet-spirited messages, swept away all preju- 
dices and inspired a desire to know Christ. He is a 
good man, full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith. So 
beloved are these men that the people are looking 
forward to having them another year. 

The meetings as a whole were the greatest I ever 
attended. God has certainly been manifesting Him- 
self in our midst. 

EVERETT GROUP 

By Rev. W. I. Sweet 

The meetings in Everett were a great success. Rev. 
Ora S. Gray, the evangelist, was a proved preacher 
before he came to us. He was aware of the purpose 
for which he had come; he sensed our situation 
exactly; and we believe he secured as good results as 
could have been had. While he had a varied message, 
still he had but one. It all centered in this: Will you 
accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, and follow Him? 



262 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

There was not a mention of a single ''ism"; he had 
no hobby; he had no bugaboo to attack, and so pro- 
voke discussion, or turn aside the attention for a 
single moment from the great question at hand. His 
methods were such as produced the best of results, 
and I have yet to hear the first criticism of pastors 
entering into the movement — and there were eight 
churches — or from people who were approached in 
a way that they might deem indelicate. 

Mr. Charles F. Allen is a prince of chorus and con- 
gregation leaders, and the singing was a mighty aid 
to all the rest. 

The results are great, and we believe will be last- 
ing. One Methodist church has already received 
nearly one hundred. The First Baptist church re- 
ceived about twenty on Sunday, and has three times 
as many more in classes preparatory to communion. 
In my church — First Congregational — I received 
yesterday fifty-eight, and have about thirty in 
process of preparation for the May communion. The 
Mysticside Congregational church received twenty- 
eight on Sunday. The other churches are receiving 
numbers well into proportion to their size. 

And this does not give an adequate idea of the re- 
sults. People who had become lost to themselves and 
to the churches are sending for their letters. Many 
new voices are heard in testimony. Our prayer- 
meeting attendance last Friday night was nearly two 
hundred. It has given a mighty impulse to all our 
acti^dties. Conservative and cautious men and women 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 263 

attended and became interested in these services. A 
number who made no response during the meetings 
are responding now. The work done was of such a 
character as to make access easy to the hearts of 
many people difficult to reach. With us it is as one 
of the newly converted laymen of social standing in 
our city said: ^^I see in the papers that it is announced, 
Hhe big revival has come to an end.' I ask the ques- 
tion, which end? and I answer my question, the front 
end." That is what is happening here, and we be- 
lieve from the character of the work done that is 
what is going to continue to happen. 



WATERTOWN GROUP 
By Rev. C. H. Day 

The Watertown group consisted of four churches, 
namely: The St. John's Methodist Episcopal, pastor 
Rev. Chas. W. Holden; the Philhps Congregational 
church, pastor Rev. E. C. Camp; the First Baptist, 
pastor Rev. C. H. Day, and the Belmont Congrega- 
tional church, pastor Rev. Burke F. Leavitt. 

We were fortunate in having as our evangelist Mr. 
F. M. Sayford, a man who has a message and who 
presents it in a telling manner. Mr. Sayford pos- 
sesses a strong personality, dominated by the Spirit 
of God. He preaches with cogency, tenderness, and 
power. He exalts the word of God. The churches 
have come to love him for his work's sake. Mr. Lewis 
E. Smith as singer and musical director was greatly 



264 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

appreciated. Quietly and quickly he welded the 
different units into an effective choir whose singing 
was an uplift to the community. The results of the 
meetings may be summarized as follows: 

(1) Awakened churches. Each church that en- 
tered the group has received a decided uplift spirit- 
ually. There is manifest in each a greater love for 
the Word, a greater freedom in prayer, a new respon- 
siveness to the truth, a more acute sense of respon- 
sibility for the conversion of souls, and an unusual 
tenderness toward Christ. 

(2) Unified churches. These services have united 
the churches of different denominations as never be- 
fore in this town. Many have said; ''Why, this is 
like heaven!" A business man remarked to one of 
the pastors (not his own): ''Before these meetings 
I did not know you. Now I feel as though I had three 
pastors instead of one." 

(3) Enlarged churches. Over two hundred per- 
sons have taken a stand for Christ during the meet- 
ings. Of these the majority will be brought into 
the churches. Many also are uniting by letter as a 
result of the revival. 

(4) Churches reorganized for service. In one church 
over one hundred King's Business League covenant 
cards were signed. The pastor has divided these 
signers into groups of ten, with a chairman for each. 
These groups will meet once a week for prayer and to 
do any work assigned to them by the pastor. Thus 
the quickened religious interest will be conserved and 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 265 

made permanent. In general, it may be said that 
the heart of the chm^ch is beating faster with love to 
our Lord, thus sending the red blood of service to 
the farthest extremities of the body of Christ. 

It is a matter, to us, of profound gratitude to God, 
that we have been permitted to share in the blessings 
of this great movement, which has lifted the Word of 
God to its rightful place of authority, made direct and 
searching preaching a necessity, emphasized the true 
nature of sin, man's need of a Savior, and exalted 
Jesus Christ as the one great need of the human soul. 



SOUTH END EAST GROUP 
By Rev. James Alexander 

The meetings of the South End West group were 
held in People's Temple, M. E., and the churches 
uniting were: The First Presbyterian, Scotch Presby- 
terian, Reformed Presbyterian, Clarendon Street Bap- 
tist, Harvard Street Baptist, and the Swedish M. E. 

From the initial service to the last, the attendance 
was large. This was partly due to the preparation 
which the several pastors had made, previous to the 
coming of the evangelists, and the splendid esprit du 
corps which was in evidence all through the meetings. 
We were fortunate in the selection of our evangelists. 
Mr. H. D. Sheldon was a man of unusual ability as a 
speaker, and soon made himself en rapport with his 
audiences. His messages were clear and incisive, lead- 
ing many to conviction of sin, and to faith in Jesus 



266 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Christ. Mr. B. F. Butts proved himself to be a man 
equal to the occasion. He had both ability and tact, 
and the fine chorus of a hundred voices, under his lead- 
ership, added no little to the success of the meetings. 

In response to the fervent appeals of the evangelist, 
many indicated their desire to start the Christian 
life. Hundreds of cards were signed, and placed in 
the hands of the pastors. The several churches rep- 
resented were greatly quickened in their spiritual life, 
and have emerged from the meetings with new power 
and enthusiasm. 

The success of the campaign would have been much 
less if it had not been for the fine support of a large 
body of consecrated men and women who gave time 
and strength to personal work unstintedly. Substan- 
tial gains have been added to all of the churches, and 
the harvest has only begun. 

On the whole, the evangelistic campaign in this part 
of the city of Boston has left a much healthier condi- 
tion of things than existed previously, and both pas- 
tors and churches are thankful to God for its coming. 



FIELD'S CORNER (DORCHESTER) GROUP 

By Wm. W. Everts 

The six churches in this group held union services 
for the first time. No one of them a large church, 
together they made a host. We had the good-will of 
the community from the start. Many came to church 
who had not attended for years. Drinking and pro- 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 267 

fane men, Roman Catholics and free-thinkers, came 
and kept coming to the end. A young man, a gam- 
bler and sport, was attracted to the men's meeting 
and deliberately stood when the invitation was given. 
In two homes that I visited the conversion of the 
fathers has produced a complete revolution. A 
woman who had fallen into sin has had restored to 
her the joy of salvation. A worldly woman of culture 
and refinement has consecrated her musical gifts to 
Christian service. The whole tone of the community 
has been changed, and it is as easy now as it was 
hard before to converse about the Savior. The Chris- 
tian workers from the different churches are planning 
to perpetuate their organization. I believe we would 
like to repeat the campaign next year. 



MALDEN GROUP 
By Rev. Henry H. French, D.D. 

The Chapman-Alexander meetings in the Maiden 
group of churches were a pronounced success. Under 
the sane and competent leadership of Rev. Frank 
Granstaff, D.D., speaker, and Mr. Owen F. Pugh, 
musical director, the whole city has experienced a 
wonderful spiritual uplift. We have had in other 
years united evangelistic efforts; but never anything 
to compare with the recent one. The whole religious 
atmosphere has changed, and the churches are in a 
most hopeful and confident mood. Local church en- 
terprises, which before would have seemed well-nigh 



268 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

impossible, are now assumed with ease and carried 
forward with enthusiasm. The careless have become 
serious, the moody joyous, the half-hearted zealous in 
the work of the Lord. The emphasis laid upon organ- 
ization will remain with us a permanent object lesson. 
So simple and yet so effective has been the employ- 
ment of the forces available in the various committees 
that it cannot but stimulate workers for the future. 
Christian fellowship, too, has been greatly advanced. 
Ministers and people have mingled together in joyous 
service and in the glow of the Spirit's presence have 
come to know and love each other better. And there 
can be no doubt that the larger fellowship of the 
whole movement in and about Boston has contributed 
not a little to the success attained in the various 
groups. And we of the Maiden group bear glad testi- 
mony to the inspiration that has come from being 
identified with such a gigantic spiritual enterprise. 
Finally, scores and hundreds have begun the life of 
Christian discipleship. Some of these will, no doubt, 
fall away. But a great host will hold fast, witnessing 
a good confession among men. The various churches 
have already received a large number into member- 
ship, and the pastors anticipate a continuous harvest 
for months to come. To God be all the glory. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 269 

SOUTH END WEST GROUP 
By Herbert S. Johnston 
Before the beginning of the Chapman-Alexander 
Campaign I had grave doubt that evangehstic meet- 
ings in the South End of Boston could be success- 
ful. During my ten years' pastorate I have seen 
attempt after attempt fail miserably. Contrary to 
my expectations, the meetings in our group, the 
South End East, have been successful in a most 
gratifying degree. Dr. Toy's preaching was simple 
and without display, but thoroughly earnest and 
powerful. Several hundred cards have been signed. 
There have been, according to my best belief, a 
large number of real conversions, some of them 
most striking. Men seem to have been especially 
moved. I saw one man more than seventy years of 
age rise in the meeting and confess Christ; another 
man of middle age who said that he never before in 
his life had been in a church apparently surrender 
himself to God. A locomotive engineer came down 
from the gallery and walked the whole length of the 
church to make his stand before the congregation. 
Nowhere in the field of the Chapman-Alexander meet- 
ings have there been more striking evidences of deep 
feeling than in Dr. Toy's meetings. Dr. Toy himself 
is safe, sane, full of determination, and a thorough 
gentleman. He has succeeded in one of the most 
difficult places in all New England. He has gone, but 
he will leave behind him churches strengthened by 



270 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

several hundred new members and greatly encouraged 
by a sense of the presence and power of God. 



By A. A. Berle 

The Chapman- Alexander Evangelistic Campaign in 
Boston was, in my judgment, the most effective, the 
most wisely conducted, and the most ethically produc- 
tive evangelistic campaign which it has been my 
fortune to witness, and I have seen several of Mr. 
Moody's campaigns. Of my own knowledge I know 
of ethical awakenings of which the evangelists could 
not and do not know anything among persons who 
would not be found in any meeting nor be persuaded 
to make any sort of demonstration that could be put 
down as a result. But the intensity of the city's 
awakening on the ethical side is hardly known to the 
evangelists themselves except among the class of per- 
sons who frequent meetings. But I have been made 
the confidant of ethical awakenings which suggest 
Biblical times; for example, the restoration of thou- 
sands of dollars legally acquired, but felt to be held 
inrimorally. And I know many such cases. Not all 
so startling, but many quite as far-reaching. Though 
some of these persons, in fact most of them, went 
to no meeting, and most of them did not hear Mr. 
Chapman or Mr. Alexander, yet the movement in- 
augurated by them, and for the most part sustained 
by them, must be credited with these results. I have 
not in many years seen such an all-round concurrence 
in desire and prayer for the city's spiritual uplift. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 271 

The city was undoubtedly ready to follow any leader 
who appeared sane, steady, and who could be true to 
the evangelical truths of the New Testament, without 
imposing a particular brand of theological interpreta- 
tion, at least permitting the reasonable liberty of the 
New Testament in non-essentials. Dr. Chapman 
proved such a leader. Evangelism has a better stand- 
ing by far than it had before this campaign was begun. 



CHARLESTOWN GROUP 
By Rev. L angle y B. Sears 

We live in the most densely populated district of 
Boston, with no adequate playground for our chil- 
dren and with the din of elevated trains ever beating 
upon our ears. Our seven churches receive inade- 
quate support from 7,000 Protestants and the Catho- 
lics outnumber us five to one. The church buildings 
are the too large memorials of more prosperous days; 
the old-time workers have moved to the suburbs. 

Charlestown needed this movement and a few brave 
souls led the people into it. Early in the fall a re- 
ligious census was taken. Then preparatory services 
were held and a house-to-house visitation was made. 
At the appointed time we were like one family of one 
accord and in one place. 

God's Word was preached with tenderness and 
power; people sang from the heart, and we found our- 
selves in the atmosphere of prayer. God's Spirit 
came among us, quietly, gradually, but with power. 



272 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

An intense passion for souls developed, and while 
converts found their Savior the community felt the 
pulsing of a new religious life. 

On two Sunday afternoons meetings were held for 
men and the Holy Spirit went with us as we left the 
church for the theater and the club house. Christ 
was magnified in the preaching, and Protestants and 
Catholics alike honored Him by their confessions of 
faith. The very air pulsed with holy energy; decision 
seemed imperative. Before the evangelists left us 
many men had accepted Christ as Lord. 

The meetings gained in power and came to an im- 
pressive close. The whole congregation greeted Mr. 
Buswell and Mr. Weaver at the end of the last ser- 
vice, and they left us while we sang ''God Be With 
You Till We Meet Again." 

We had loved them, we had learned to love one 
another and we had seen the wonderful works of God. 
And best of all, the work goes on. One church has 
been born again, another has received a new lease of 
life, a third gains a large accession and a fourth con- 
tinues reaping. Our community has been uplifted, 
Christ has been honored, and many people have 
learned to enter the open doors of our churches. The 
battle still goes forward on Bunker Hill. But now 
we march as to the sound of music and fight shoulder 
to shoulder. The spirit of our fathers abides and 
over us broods the Spirit of God. 

Do I believe in this plan of campaign? With all 
my heart. Do I believe in evangelism for districts like 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 273 

our own? Without any question. For hereby God 
has blessed us and magnified His Son, our Savior. 



THE LYNN EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN 
By Rev. J. P. MacPhie 

Lynn has just closed a great evangelistic campaign 
under the direction of Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman. It 
was the greatest religious movement it has ever 
known. Lynn is a typical New England manufac- 
turing city, having the largest shoe shops in the world, 
with a mixed population and hard to move, but it has 
been stirred and uplifted as never before. It will, I 
believe, be a better city to live in for a generation to 
come because of the campaign. 

The city, with the adjacent town of Swampscott, 
was divided into four groups with twenty-six churches 
co-operating, representing a membership of about 
7,000. The movement was under the direction of a 
general central committee, with Ralph W. Brown as 
chairman; Frederick A. Phillips, secretary, and E. 
B. Redfield, treasurer. 

In the West Lynn group. Rev. Thomas Needham, 
evangelist, and John W. Reynolds, singer, had charge, 
with Rev. James S. Braker as chairman. 

The Center group, Rev. 0. S. Gray and Charles 
F. Allen, with Rev. J. Franklin Xnotts, chair- 
man. 

The East Lynn group, Rev. F. Granstaff and 0. F. 
Pugh, with Rev. A. E. Harriman, chairman. 



274 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Swampscott group, Rev. S. F. Perry and Chester 
F. Harris, with Rev. G. A. Wilson, chairman. 

The finances were put into the hands of a committee 
of leading business men of the city. Each group was 
thoroughly organized and each department had com- 
petent committees to care for the work. 

For three weeks prior to the coming of the evangel- 
ists imion preparatory meetings were held in each 
group; three mass meetings for men only, and a city- 
wide meeting for women, with an address on Per- 
sonal Work by Miss Margaret Slattery, which resulted 
in the women organizing themselves for personal vis- 
itation in the lodging houses and shops of the city. 

General public interest was greatly aroused by the 
coming of Rev. Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander to 
the city for two evenings, and holding two mass 
meetings with overflow services. 

February 18 the Lynn campaign opened and con- 
tinued for three weeks. From the first the meetings 
were well attended. The Greater Boston services 
helped to create interest. The Lynn newspapers ren- 
dered valuable aid in arousing the city and gave 
splendid reports of the campaign. Large chorus 
choirs in each group proved a very attractive feature. 
The city was literally captured by the Gospel songs. 
The meetings continued to increase in interest and sav- 
ing power to the very close. The evangelists preached 
with great earnestness and their appeals were full of 
sweetness and sympathy. There were conversions at 
every service. Over a thousand cards were signed. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 275 

Hundreds have begun the Christian life; better still, 
hundreds of church members have been awakened to 
a new life of consecration and service. Ministers and 
leaders have been filled with a new hope and courage, 
a rich blessing has come to every church, and thou- 
sands throughout the city are in a responsive mood. 
Lynn has had a great awakening. 

In addition to the regular services special days were 
observed. Flower Day enlisted the interest of hun- 
dreds of people and resulted in the distribution of 
over 1,300 bouquets of flowers to the sick, the shut-ins, 
and the hospitals. 

The Day of Rejoicing was observed the second week 
and gave thousands of people an opportunity to make 
thousands of other people happy by giving to the poor 
and needy food, fuel, and clothing. Over $800 worth 
was contributed, some given to pay rents and some 
doctors' bills. 

Mother's Day was held on the last day of the meet- 
ings. Hundreds came. Old hymns and mother-songs 
were sung. Each person wore a white carnation in 
memory of home and mother. There were twenty- 
five present over 80 years of age, one man 97 years 
old walked some distance to the meeting. He joined 
the church when he was 7 years of age and said he 
was 90 years a Christian. 

Noon-day meetings were held in five of the leading 
shoe shops of the city: A. E. Little & Co., J. J. 
Grover's Sons, Williams, Clark & Co., A. F. Smith & 
Co., and John H. Cross Co. 



276 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

These meetings were among the most interestmg of 
the whole campaign. They aroused great enthusiasm 
among the working people. A leading shoe manufac- 
turer said: ^'This is the great work of the church. It 
must go where the people are." 

The campaign is ended, but its influence will remain 
and mil be felt for years to come. 

The ministers have been brought together in a spirit 
of imity and fellowship never before known in the 
city. The churches have been awakened to a new 
sense of their obligation and opportunity. The mem- 
bers of the different churches have become acquainted 
with each other. A body of personal workers and 
singers have been trained for service. A new atmos- 
phere has been created which makes it easier to 
approach non-church -going people. 

The campaign closed with a balance in the treasury. 
The methods of the Chapman Simultaneous Movement 
have won the cordial approval of all. It will always 
be easier to hold evangelistic meetings in Lynn in 
the future. 

BOSTON REVIVAL EXTENSION 
The Boston awakening was far more than a 
mere local matter. It spread rapidly into all parts 
of the state, even to the remotest parts of New Eng- 
land. 

Requests were being made in all directions for 
evangelists before we had concluded the campaign in 
Boston. Immediately after we had concluded our 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 277 

Simultaneous Campaign in Boston, work was under- 
taken in Reading, Wakefield, Winchester, Woburn, 
Auburndale, Natick, and other points. In every 
instance the most cheering and gratifying reports of 
a spiritual awakening are received. The largest of 
these revival centers was Lynn. An account of the 
movement in Lynn, condensed, yet forceful, is above 
given. Since the proof-sheets of the first part were 
received, letters have reached us from Vermont, New 
Hampshire, Connecticut, and five different places in 
Maine, where an intense evangelistic spirit has been 
awakened, and the work is going on with the most 
gratifying success. As an indication of the great 
interest taken in the Boston movement, the chairman 
has received enthusiastic congratulatory letters from 
Cairo, Egypt; from Paris, France; from Smyrna, Con- 
stantinople, from various points in England, and from 
nearly every section of the United States. 

Directly following the Chapman and Alexander 
meetings in Boston, a series of evangelistic meetings 
were held at Winchester, Mass., in the First Congrega- 
tional church, the Rev. D. A. Newton, pastor. The 
First Baptist, the Rev. H. C. Hodge; the Methodist 
Episcopal church. Rev. J. P. Chaffee, and the Second 
Congregational church, C. A. S. Dwight, co-operated. 
Rev. Arthur J. Smith, D.D., was the evangelist and 
Allen B. Fenno the musical director. The meetings 
were held for ten days with splendid results. 

A similar series was held in Woburn, conducted 
by Rev. Frank Granstaff, evangelist, and Owen F. 



278 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

Pugh, musical director. Meetings were held in the 
First Congregational church, the Rev. Stephen A. 
Norton, pastor; the First Baptist church, Rev. Henry 
B. Williams, pastor, and the Methodist Episcopal, 
Rev. E. P. Herrick, all co-operating. The meetings 
were marked by a very large attendance. 

Beginning on the 18th of February, Rev. D. R. 
Dondonald, the Scotch evangelist, began a series 
of meetings in Reading. The First Congregational 
church, the Rev. Frank S. Hunnewell, pastor; the 
Baptist church. Rev. Walter C. Myer, and the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church, the Rev. E. B. Marshall, all 
united in a splendid series of services. 

The Rev. H. D. Sheldon, evangelist, and William 
McEwan, Gospel singer, held the evangelistic cam- 
paign at Holliston, Mass., the First Congregational 
church. Rev. C. E. Harrington, D.D., and Rev. T. P. 
Evans, pastors, uniting. The meetings were held for 
ten days and scores of people signified their acceptance 
of Christ. From this point Messrs. Sheldon and Mc- 
Ewan went to Campello, Mass., and held a series of 
meetings in the South Congregational church, other 
churches participating, and the great work of grace 
was carried on for two weeks in this field. 

Beginning on February 18, Rev. Milton S. Rees, 
evangelist, accompanied by Mrs. Milton S. Rees, con- 
ducted meetings at Natick for over two weeks; the 
Congregational church, Rev. Morris A. Turk, pastor, 
the Baptist church and the Methodist church uniting. 
The series of meetings was marked by the deepening 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 279 

of the spiritual life of the church people and the 
salvation of a very great number. 

At the close of the series at this place, Mr. and Mrs. 
Rees began evangelistic meetings at the Auburndale 
Congregational church, Rev. W. C. Gordon, pastor, 
and the Methodist church, Rev. C. E. Spaulding, pas- 
tor. Great interest was manifested and a great many- 
people expressed a desire to serve the Lord. 

Six churches in Hyde Park, Mass., united in a very 
successful series of meetings conducted by Rev. C. T. 
Schaeffer and W. H. Collisson. Meetings began Feb- 
ruary 21, and continued for two weeks and a half. 
They were held in the Congregational church. Rev. L. 
B. Reed, pastor; the Baptist church, Rev. Guy C. 
Lamson, and the Methodist Episcopal church. Rev. 
L. M. Shepler, pastor; Presbyterian church. Rev. 
William Brown, pastor. 

At the conclusion of this series Mr. Schaeffer and 
Mr. Collisson went to Randolph. Meetings were held 
in the first Congregational church. Rev. Christopher 
Hamlin, pastor. The second week meetings were 
held in the Baptist church. Rev. E. E. Williams, 
pastor. The meetings were very well attended, and 
a large number of young people expressed a desire 
to live the Christian life. 

Evangelistic meetings were also held at Roslindale, 
Mass., the Congregational, Baptist, and Methodist 
churches uniting. Pastors, Rev. Leon B. Austin, 
Rev. R. B. Esten, and Rev. J. H. Stubbs. 

Especial mention should be made of the magnificent 



280 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

support given the Boston campaign and all the exten- 
sion movements by ''Zion's Herald." edited by Dr. 
Charles Parkhurst. Methodists may well be proud 
of that excellent periodical. 



APPRECIATION AXD CONSERVATION 

[Zion's Herald, Febriuiry 17.] 
Herewith we group a few responses from leading 
ministers of Greater Boston to a request for brief 
expression of appreciation of the Chapman meet- 
ings, and suggestions for conserving results. 



REV. A. Z. CONRAD, D.D. 

Pastor Park Street Congregational Churcli, Boston, Chairman 
of General Committee. 

The evangelistic meetings approve themselves to 
every right-thinking Christian man and woman in 
Boston. The deep undertone of spiritual earnestness, 
the sincere and candid testimony of converts, the wise 
and effectual appeal, the imquestionable spirituality 
of evangelists and workers — all these things gladden 
and gratify the people of God who believe in the 
saA^g power of Christ. It surpasses all expectations. 



REV. GEORGE W. KING, D.D. 

Pastor People's Temple piethodist Episcopal), Boston. 

It is the greatest special religious movement I have 
ever witnessed, the nearest to a rew'al such as we 
read about the other days. My people, '^'ith me, by 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 281 

visitation, special and regular meetings, friendly atten- 
tion, and the help of the Holy Spirit, will do all they 
can to deepen conviction, strengthen the converted, 
and bring them into the church. 



REV. LEWIS B. BATES, D.D. 

Pastor East Boston Bethel (Methodist Episcopal), Member 
General Committee. 

In my judgment, Boston is sharing in the most 
marvelous revival of all her history, and many cities 
and towns around us are greatly aroused by the power 
of the Holy Spirit. To God be all the glory! 



REV. O. P. GIFFORD, D.D. 

Pastor Brookline Baptist Church, Member General Committee. 

A Nile overflow. Harvest the crop, teach the con- 
verts, drill the volunteers. 



REV. ARTHUR LITTLE, D.D. 

Pastor Second Congregational Church, Dorchester, Chairman 
Codman Square Group 

The revival is a strong, sane movement, distinctly 
ethical and spiritual, of unprecedented power since 
my acquaintance with Boston. It is from above, 
under the quickening and informing influence of the 
Holy Spirit. It has set men and women to thinking. 
We shall try to conserve the results by organizing 
prayer groups, classes for instruction, and hard work. 
^'All at it, always at it," our watchword. 



282 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

REV. LEO. A. NIES 

Pastor Stanton Avenue (Methodist Episcopal) Church, 
Dorchester. 

The revival has struck deeply into the heart of old 
Dorchester. It has passed from the effervescent 
phase into the markedly spiritual. ^' We never saw it 
thus/' is a universal comment. Conservative men 
have ceased to place a limit to its possible results. 
Plans: 1. Every convert will have a member of the 
church who mil aid him especially in his Christian life. 
2. Revival meetings three nights a week at the close 
of this series. 3. A series of sermons to men Sunday 
nights. Our men's club members will visit every man 
not attendant on church elsewhere, in our conomunity, 
extending to him a personal invitation. 



REV. ARTHUR PAGE SHARP, PH.D. 

Pastor Baker Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, 
Dorchester. 

We thank God daily for what our ears have heard, 
for what our eyes have seen, and for what our hearts 
experienced; but we tremble for the future. What 
pastor can conserve all the results? The revival itself, 
however, comes to our aid. I have 60 conscientious, 
earnest men and women, who have already pledged 
themselves for service. They will help nobly. And 
then we shall enlarge our "spiritual culture" classes, 
of which we have two, to take in the boys and girls. 
We find comfort in the thought ^'through Him that 
strengtheneth us." 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 283 

REV. WILLIAM HARMAN VAN ALLEN, S.T.D. 

Rector Church of the Advent (Protestant Episcopal), Boston. 

Dr. Chapman has done a great service to the Chris- 
tian cause in the splendidly persuasive emphasis upon 
the unchangeable facts of the Apostles' Creed, his ap- 
peal to Holy Scripture for proof of those facts, and his 
application of them to troubled souls. All the forces 
of organized Christianity will feel the benefit of his 
work, and I hope that our Lent will be richer in con- 
sequence. 

REV. FRANCIS H. ROWLEY, D.D. 
Pastor First Baptist Church, Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. 

I rejoice in the great awakening that has come to 
our city. Thousands of men and women must for- 
ever be the better for it. 



REV. H. H. FRENCH, D.D. 

Pastor First Congregational Church, Maiden, Chairman Maiden 

Group. 

Without padding or puffing, the results of the 
evangelistic campaign in the Maiden group of churches 
warrant our calling it a pronounced success. The 
churches have been greatly quickened and the com- 
munity stirred as it has not been in years. The 
interest is deepening and the work enlarging on every 

hand. 

REV. ERNEST LYMAN MILLS 
Pastor St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, South Boston . 

The South Boston center is a decided success. 
Rev. C. T. Schaeffer is a marvel of energy and re- 



284 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

sourcefulness in a varied line of work. Imagine 900 
boys and girls at an afternoon service after two weeks 
regular meetings! His talks on these occasions are 
marvelous. Mr. W. H. Collisson, our singer, has de- 
veloped an artistic and effective chorus of 160 voices. 
Such singing! The meetings will leave us with an 
abundance of new material and with work enough to 
engage our attention for months. An organized com- 
pany of "sponsors" will assist the pastor in caring for 
the new people. Without "personal work" the result 
of this movement will be lost. We intend to "follow 

it up." 

REV. J. A. JOHNSTON, D.D. 

Pastor Central Baptist Church, Jamaica Plain, Chairman 
Jamaica Plain Group. 

I have seen nothing comparable to this manifesta- 
tion of God's Spirit in the Chapman- Alexander cam- 
paign in Boston since the great Moody meeting in the 
Hippodrome in New^ York City which I had the joy of 
attending in 1877. The method Mr. Chapman had 
suggested for conser\dng the fruit of the revival by 
taking the work up into the new^ life and readjusted 
services for the churches, called back to the love of the 
Master, seems to me worthy of the best days and zeal 
of the Christian church. I certainly shall carry out 
the suggestions with my people, and most earnestly 
hope all om* pastors will see it to be God's call, not 
only to conserve the fruits of the re-\dval, but to per- 
petuate the living presence and work of the Holy 
Ghost in our churches. 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 285 

REV. FRANK A. STARRATT, D.D. 

Pastor Stoneham Baptist Church, Chairman Stoneham Group, 

The work now in progress in our group is doing 
untold good, and is marked in an unusual degree by 
thoroughness. It is of God. We are attempting to 
conserve the results by a thorough organization for 
personal work. Each convert will have a guardian 

angel. 

REV. H. S. PINKHAM, D.D. 
Pastor Winter Hill Baptist Church, Chairman Somerville Group. 

Winter Hill (Somerville) never had such a religious 
awakening. Sunday evening, by count, 1,700 were 
present. For the first time in twenty-five years and 
more, the churches on this hill have united in an evan- 
gelistic campaign. Scores are being saved. So sane, 
so deep, so spiritual is the work our evangelist and 
singer are doing, that the churches are bound to be 
far stronger in days to come. 



REV. J. ALEXANDER, D.D. 

Pastor Columbus Avenue Presbyterian Church, Boston. 

Not since the earlier period of Moody's evangelistic 
work in Boston has our city been so stirred. It is sim- 
ply wonderful. Personally I am planning and work- 
ing to give permanence to its influence upon my own 
church. I am finding that personal correspondence 
with those who have signed the cards is bringing ex- 
cellent results. 



286 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

REV. J. L. CAMPBELL, D.D. 

Pastor Central Baptist Church, Cambridge, Chairman 
Cambridge Group. 

The revival here in Cambridge is the most wonder- 
ful work of grace that I have ever witnessed, and far 
exceeds anything that we ever dreamed of. We 
shall seek to conserve the results (1) by faithful visi- 
tation, (2) by meeting with those who have signed 
cards, (3) organizing groups, etc. 



REV. THOMAS SIMS, D.D. 

Pastor Melrose Congregational Church, Chairman Melrose Group. 

Melrose is experiencing a time of real revival. 
There is perfect fellowship among the co-operating 
pastors and churches; extraordinary congregations, 
night after night ; notable power in the Word preached; 
and an appreciable ground-swell of spiritual interest 
in the community. Something over 300 people, old 
and young, have manifested distinct interest in their 
salvation. As methods of conserving the results of 
the revival, I think the ^^ covenant of service" can be 
used with good effect. I expect to organize two or 
three catechimien classes for the immature. I also 
look forward to making the Sunday vesper service 
distinctly evangelistic. 



REV. HERBERT S. JOHNSON, D.D. 

Pastor Warren Avenue Baptist Church, Boston, Chairman 
Publicity Committee. 

A great revival which is spreading rapidly through- 
out New England. Not the least of its blessings is 



BOSTON'S AWAKENING 287 

to teach us that Boston can be moved, and the way 
in which it can be done. 



REV. WILLIAM W. EVERTS, D.D. 

Pastor Immanuel Baptist Church, Dorchester, Chairman Field's 

Comer Group. 

The meetings have been conducted as well as can 
be expected of fallible men. The spirit, if it could last, 
would suggest that the millennium had come. 



REV. W. I. SWEET, D.D. 

Pastor First Congregational Church, Everett, Chairman 
Everett Group. 

The results of Everett are way beyond anything in 

our history. Rev. Ora S. Gray is a wise and forceful 

preacher, and knows how to draw the net. Mr. 

Allen is a great chorus leader. Already about 400 

have become Christians. Yesterday was ^^ Church 

Day" in each church, and each pastor had from 50 

to 100 signify a desire to become ''assistant pastors" 

to help look after the converts; also to follow up any 

who are interested. 

REV. FRED B. FISHER 

Pastor Temple Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Boston. 

Never have seen anything so glorious as the present 
movement toward God in Boston. It is God's work, 
not man's. Our own church is on fire. We have 
more workers, more life, more hope, than we have 
had in a dozen years. We have a hundred picked, 
interested workers to go after those who are turning 
toward our church. We are thoroughly organizing 



288 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

our '' Covenanters" for a long campaign. Our motto 
is: ''The West End for Christ." 



REV. JOHN O. HAARVIG, D.D. 

Pastor Allston Congregational Church, Chairman Allston- 
Brighton Group. 

It is my profound con\dction that this work is of 
God. The results in the district have fulfilled the 
most hopeful expectations. The meetings have been 
largely attended. All kinds of people have been led 
into the kingdom. It is safe to say that the doxology 
will be sung as never before in many of the Boston 
churches. By means of special meetings for converts 
as well as by the adoption of the covenant plan of 
services, we hope to garner the fruitage and per- 
petuate the spirit of evangelism. 



REV. B. L. JENNINGS 

Pastor Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church, Somerville. 

The interest is the greatest I have ever seen. The 
younger of those who have decided for Christ we 
shall gather into probationers' classes to fit for church 
membership. The chiu'ch members have been asked 
to enter into ways of work indicated on the card 
which I enclose, to which they have largely responded. 



POST-WORD 

By A. Z. Conrad 

The Boston Revival is a signal triumph for Truth 
and Righteousness. It is a victory for Jesus Christ 
and the Gospel of Grace. Captious criticism of it is 
impossible save where prejudice or ignorance controls. 
The benefits of the Simultaneous Campaign reach be- 
yond the co-operating churches. Churches not in the 
movement of course reap a benefit. But the largest 
and most lasting results accrue to those who have 
entered heart and soul into the great movement, mani- 
festly directed by the Holy Spirit. A sacrificial in- 
vestment of personality is always rewarded. 

On the human side, the chief factor has been 
Prayer. Groups of praying men and women brought 
Heaven to earth in a new and mighty demonstration 
of Power. From the first everything was committed 
to God. No one claims credit for any superior wis- 
dom. God has guided us. At this date, Saturday, 
April the 10th, with Easter hallelujahs just ready to 
fill the world with the song of Resurrection triumph, 
messages from every part of New England continue 
to declare the wonders of the saving power of Jesus 
Christ, where churches are at the floodtide of Revival 
blessing. 

Formalism will give place to heart earnestness. A 
larger faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ 

289 



290 BOSTON'S AWAKENING 

is sure to obtain. Increasing multitudes, refusing to 
be deceived and misled by ''another Gospel" which 
has demonstrated neither wisdom nor power, will 
accept the teachings of God's holy word as a thor- 
oughly trustworthy rule of life, the Holy Spirit as a 
personal guide to all Truth, and Jesus Christ as the 
divine Savior. The highest, truest, and the newest 
thought is to be found in ''These Sayings of Mine," 
the teachings of Jesus Christ. The one permanently 
commanding theme is and ever will be The Story of 
Jesus. 

A vast majority of the members of evangelical 
churches to-day devoutly, sincerely, and with pro- 
found conviction, unite in saying: 

" I believe in God, the Father Almighty, 
Maker of Heaven and Earth; 
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, 
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
Bom of the Virgin Mary, 
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
Was crucified, dead and buried. 
The third day He arose again from the dead. 
He ascended into Heaven, 

And sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Eternal ; 
From thence He shall come 
To judge the quick and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Ghost 
The Holy catholic church. 
The communion of saints. 
The forgiveness of sins. 
The resurrection of the body. 
And the Life Everlasting." 



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